


Moonlight meets a Falinesti

by Harra286



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Canon typical violence?, F/M, I don't think its too bad, I feel like I should finish it, I have no idea where I was going with it, I wrote this like years back, Rated M Just To Be Safe, a silly self indulgent fic, aaaaanywaaaaays, also idk I've never written explicit things I'm too shy, but the effort I put in, i'm bringing it back, that is somehow longer than my college thesis, why am i like this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:09:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22853761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harra286/pseuds/Harra286
Summary: Arriving in Skyrim believing herself to be a mere messenger, Elanna discovers that secrets have a way of catching up to her in ways not even the most skillful manipulation could predict.a.k.a just another Dragonborn adventuring through Skyrim.
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Vilkas
Comments: 37
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

Elanna felt more apprehensive with each step she took towards the hall. Jorrvaskr - the home of the mighty and honourable Companions - was dead ahead, basking in the glow of the setting sun. In her travels across Skyrim Elanna had oft come across word of the Companions feats… and word that only the most skilled warriors were accepted into their ranks, something the Wood Elf had to admit she was not sure she could convince them that she was. She remembered the first time she met some of the Companions, taking down a giant at Pelagia Farm. The meeting, suffice to say, did not go well.  
"Well that’s taken care of, no thanks to you." The female Companion, leader of the group, shot words as effectively as she did arrows.  
"Y-you didn’t look like you needed any help…" Elanna stumbled over her words revealing her nerves and fright.  
"Certainly not. But a true warrior would have relished the opportunity to take on a giant. That’s why I'm here with my Shield-Brother." The fierce woman narrowed her eyes at the Bosmer, but went on to invite Elanna to try her luck were she ever in Whiterun.  
  


Elanna still winced at the memory. Though, when the invitation was extended to her she was just an unfortunate woman who had been shaken by the tumultuous episodes that fate had thrown her into. As she finished climbing the stairs Elanna reminded herself that in the few short months since then, she had grown much stronger, she was more and perhaps she was ready. She steeled her nerves and pushed the sturdy wooden doors just wide enough to slip her narrow frame through, then allowed it to swing closed behind her.  
The hall itself was buzzing with life, as many of the Companions were dining on venison and mead. Elanna went unnoticed as the crowd focused on a brawl between two of its more inebriated members, a Dunmer and a Nord.  
"Hit him Njada!"  
"Don't let a girl beat you Athis!"  
"The loser does fifteen laps of the yard tomorrow morning!"  
The female Nord swung her fist round to land a wicked hook on the Dunmer's jaw, and he dropped to the floor.  
"Wai…wai I yield…! Gods Njada…" the elf slurred.  
  


As the crowd dispersed, Elanna spotted the woman that she'd spoken to at Pelagia, who greeted her with a rueful smile.  
"Ysgramor himself wouldn’t have the patience to deal with all the rabble around here."  
 _She doesn’t recognise me, maybe this is my chance…_ Elanna thought, and so taking a deep breath she replied: "I'm here to join the Companions."  
"Haha! We don't just take in any milk drinker that stumbles in!" The woman doubled over from laughter, but on seeing Elanna was serious, the woman straightened up. "Well, you should talk to Kodlak if you think you have what it takes to be a Companion." The woman directed Elanna towards the living quarters in Jorrvaskr before a deep voice called her away.  
"Aela! Come here a second." The woman, Aela, looked up towards the top of the stairs.  
"Give me a moment Skjor!" She turned to Elanna. "At the bottom these stairs are the living quarters, Kodlak is there now." She turned and whipped back up the stairs, leaving Elanna enter by herself.  
  


The area under Jorrvaskr was eerily silent compared to the rabble and liveliness upstairs. Elanna began gathering her magicka until an orb of light began pulsing in her hand, which she threw into the air where it settled above her head - illuminating the area around her in all directions. Though it was unnecessary, the light made her feel a lot safer as she explored the living quarters to find Kodlak's study. As she approached it, she could hear voices carrying from inside.  
"But I still hear the call of the blood." One said in a strained voice.  
"We all do. It is our burden to bear. But we can overcome." A gentle voice replied.  
As Elanna pushed the door open, the soft light shining above her head alerted the two men to her presence. Both men were Nords, but while the younger one's ice blue eyes looked over her with suspicion, the older couldn’t help but wear a smile as he looked over at her.  
"I'm Elanna Oakshade. I'm here to join the Companions." Elanna blurted out, unnerved by the awkward silence and the younger Nords' unwavering stare.  
"Would you now? Here, let me have a look at you. Hm. Yes, perhaps. A certain strength of spirit-" The older Nord, presumably Kodlak was cut short by the younger.  
"Master, you're not truly considering accepting her?" The younger Nord shot Elanna an incredulous look.  
  


Elanna bit her lip in contemplation. She was small, which was typical of a Wood Elf, but had a decent build; she wore light armour but carried a sword, a bow and quiver, and heavy dwarven shield on her arm - so surely, she didn’t look that weak?  
"I am nobody's Master, Vilkas." Kodlak replied. "And last I checked, we still had beds at Jorrvaskr for those with a fire burning in their hearts."  
The younger Nord, Vilkas, stared at Kodlak agape before regaining his composure. Kodlak and Vilkas continued to talk amongst themselves until Kodlak turned to Elanna again.  
"Of course, How are you in battle, girl?" Elanna bit her lip again. How much was safe to tell these people at this stage? She didn’t want to appear weak, but at the same time she didn't know them very well and she certainly didn’t appreciate the level of disdain being thrown her way from Vilkas. As such, she phrased her answer carefully: "I can handle myself."  
"That may be so," Kodlak chuckled at her response, throwing her a knowing smile. "This is Vilkas. He will… test… your arm." He turned to the Nord sat opposite him.  
"Vilkas take her out to the yard and see what she can do."  
"Aye." The younger Nord mumbled in response and got up. "Follow me."  
  


Vilkas led Elanna to the Jorrvaskr yard, a wide-open space behind the hall purposed for training.  
"I don’t want none of that Elven magic d'you hear?" Vilkas said, pointing to the candlelight that now shone only dimly above Elanna's head. "This is a straight fight, I don't want to be turned into a toad or anything." He added, grabbing a sword and shield from the weapons rack.  
"Of course," Elanna responded, readying her own sword and shield.  
"All right." He nodded, getting into a defensive stance. "Now come at me!"  
Elanna threw a few hits to study Vilkas' style - he would block and throw back every swing she made with the sword, which would leave her wide open if she didn't block with the shield, but he didn't try to attack. Slowly but surely, a plan formed in Elanna's mind. _I hope that my acrobatics training pays off..._ she thought as she jogged backwards across the yard putting some distance between them, and tossed her sword and shield to one side.  
"Running away? You're a disgrace." Vilkas spat out from behind the shield.  
"Let’s see if you’re as strong as you think you are." Elanna muttered as she unsheathed a dagger and broke into a run towards Vilkas. As he raised his shield Elanna leaped, landing on the shield so his power bash could launch her above him. She landed behind him and dived down as he swung to face her, sweeping her leg against his feet to knock him to the floor. By the time Vilkas could register what happened, Elanna was sitting on top of him, pressing her dagger to his neck.  
  


"Yield."


	2. Chapter 2

Vilkas stared up at the Bosmer blankly for a few moments, astonished. She was so petite, he had thought she was so fragile that he would snap her in two if he made any sort of attack towards her, and yet here he was, pinned to the ground beneath her with a knife to his neck.  
"Yield." She spoke with a conviction that had him believing she would not hesitate to slit his throat if he didn't.  
"I yield," he murmured softly, and the elf removed her blade, sighing in relief. She slumped back as the tension of battle left her body. Vilkas studied her; she had a sharp jawline with high cheekbones and raven black hair that had been braided to keep it out of her face, and dark green eyes. His heightened senses could pick up her natural scent from under the floral perfume, especially as the physical exertion had made her sweat. She smelled distinctly earthy - like the smell of dirt when rain hits it after the sun has baked it dry.  
  


"Do you two lovebirds realise what that position you're in looks like?"  
  


The voice came from the direction of the hall. Elanna turned her head to see the woman who won the brawl earlier, Njada leaning against a pillar grinning at the pair.  
"Oh Gods-sorry!" Elanna's cheeks burned bright red as she realised the way she had straddled the man beneath her, and rolled off to the side to let him up.  
"I have to admit, you're not bad. Here, whelp, take my sword up to Eorlund in Skyforge." The wolfish grin on Vilkas's face just made Elanna more embarrassed. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that as she walked away Njada moved to stand beside Vilkas.  
"So… the whelp huh?" She nudged him with her elbow and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.  
"Watch yourself Njada. It's not too late to have you join Athis in his laps tomorrow morning." Elanna heard him reply. She didn't catch the rest of the conversation as she began to ascend the stairs towards the Skyforge.  
  


Elanna had to stand for a few minutes to take in the Skyforge. Though she had seen many forges in her travels, and used a fair few of them too, something about the forge being nestled in the clouds made it unique, and breathtakingly beautiful against the skyline at dusk. Stood working the Forge was a male Nord, Eorlund. His face was illuminated orange, reflected in the embers of the forge. The heat had given the skin of his face a waxy quality, and cracked it in places on his calloused hands.  
"What brings you here?" He said, looking over the Bosmer cautiously from his position at the Forge, freezing Elanna in place across from him.  
"Vilkas sent me with his sword."  
"Ahhh, you're the newcomer then." Elanna watched as the old man's shoulders relaxed and he allowed her to approach and pass him the sword. He immediately went to work on it; moving away from the forge, he gathered materials to sharpen the greatsword.  
  


She was about to leave the Skyforge when the memory of Vilkas's cold stare halted her steps.  
"Umm…Eorlund...? Does Vilkas..." She paused, struggling to phrase the thought. “Does he...well I mean..."  
"Spit it out, lass!"  
"Does he always send newcomers on errands like this or is it just me he really doesn't like!" Elanna blurted out in response to the booming voice. The Nord looked at the worried expression on her face and burst out into increasingly loud waves of laughter.  
"Don't worry he treats all newcomers that way! That boy forgets that he was a whelp too once," He chuckled, but then turned to her with a more serious expression. "And stop acting like a nervous skeever! No one is above you in the Companions; not even Kodlak." He gave her a warm smile, which put Elanna at ease.  
"Thanks, Eorlund."  
"Aye lass. Actually, I have a favour to ask of you," He crossed to a table on which he kept some of his goods. "I need to head back soon, my wife is still in mourning, so could you deliver this shield to Aela for me?" He said, bringing a steel shield over and extending it to Elanna.  
"I'd be happy to lend a hand." Elanna took the shield from him, and trudged off towards the stairs.  
  


The din of the hall had died down as Elanna re-entered, as most of the warriors had gone into the living quarters for the night. Elanna walked across the hall and descended the stairs, this time choosing not to use candlelight as she searched for Aela so as not to disturb any of the sleeping Companions. As she approached the correct door, she could hear voices from inside - one of them was Aela's, and the other was a man's which Elanna had heard somewhere before but couldn't quite place. Taking a breath, Elanna rapped her knuckles against the wood. There was a startled sound from the other side of the door, and then silence. Elanna shifted uncomfortably in the darkness until after what seemed like an age the door opened, and Elanna came face to face with a male Nord.  
"Erm, I think I have the wrong r-"  
"Whelp!" He bellowed. "We thought you were Kod-" An accurately aimed elbow stopped him in his tracks, as you'd expect from Aela, who slipped past him so she was now in the doorway.  
"Aela," Elanna sighed in relief. "Eorlund asked me to deliver this." she said, passing the shield over to its owner. She got the impression that perhaps she'd interrupted something private, and ought to get out of the way as quick as possible.  
"Ah, I was waiting for this," Aela spoke absentmindedly as she admired the shield. Elanna turned to leave when Aela's attention snapped back to her, and she added: "Wait. You. I remember you."  
  


In the blink of an eye, the corridor in front of Elanna was blocked off by the male Nord that was in the room.  
  


"This one been giving you trouble?" His demeanour had gone from easy going to menacing so quickly that Elanna couldn't help but start to gather magicka in her hand, ready to defend herself if necessary.  
"No- stand down Skjor you're scaring the poor lass!" She waved her hand, clearly irritated at the man, and he slid back, allowing Elanna access to the corridor. "Elanna, right? Glad you made it up here."  
"Saw her training in the yard with Vilkas. She's quite the scrapper," he mused. On hearing this, Aela broke out into a wicked smile.  
"Ah yes, everyone in the hall knows that you made him…submit... eh Skjor?"  
"Don't let Vilkas hear you say that!" Skjor snickered, as Elanna could feel the skin of her cheeks begin to burn in embarrassment. Aela let Skjor amuse himself at the thought, catching Elanna's arm to pull her gently aside.  
"Say, you think you could take Vilkas in a real fight?" Elanna bit her lip. _I can't exactly tell her I can shout someone into Oblivion better than Ulfric himself…_  
"Hmm... it was his own fault that I beat him today. He decided I wasn’t strong because I'm a small elf. I hope he doesn't make that mistake in real fights." Elanna carefully pieced together her answer under Aela's intent stare.  
  


The Nord nodded in approval, and motioned to Skjor who left the room. Moments later, he returned with… well he looked like Vilkas, and Elanna could have sworn it was, but there was something not quite right; his hair was too long, his posture was more relaxed, his armour was different.  
"I'm impressed, most people don't notice on their own. This here's Farkas, Vilkas's twin. He'll show you where the whelps sleep." Aela commented peering at the Bosmer's face, leading Elanna to realise her confusion was quite obviously showing on her face. _Gods, am I going to make a bad impression on every Companion I meet?_ She chastised herself but Farkas didn't seem to notice her tactlessness, as he was busy trying to rebuke the sharp insults that Aela was shooting at him.  
Eventually, his attention turned to Elanna, and he led her to a large room that was lined from wall to wall with beds.  
"Grab a bed and get some sleep, I have a job for you tomorrow morning." He grunted, leaving Elanna alone among the other sleeping whelps. She spotted a free bed in the corner, and plonked herself onto it.  
  


 _I should probably explain to Kodlak about the whole Dragonborn thing…_ she thought, peeling off the leather armour as she curled up in the furs. _Ah... but it can wait till morning._


	3. Chapter 3

In her first week at Jorrvaskr, Elanna quickly settled into a routine. In the mornings, whichever of the other whelps she was paired with for the day would drag her out from under her furs and into the Great Hall for the early morning meal. By mid-morning, when Elanna had regained full control of her senses, they would finish preparing and head out to whatever odd job Aela or Farkas had assigned them to; clearing bandits or saving livestock from bears, that sort of work. The whelps would return by noon meal, and Elanna would spend an hour pestering Vilkas to train her further in combat, after which the Circle members would pair her with another whelp to complete a different job. They would return by evening meal, and then Elanna would go straight to bed exhausted by the day's exertion. This routine held for eight days.  
  


Elanna was in the yard, as was usual at that time of day, badgering Vilkas.  
"You don't need my training! Go ask Athis or Njada, I'm busy." Elanna noticed the trace of irritation in his voice, but ignored it.  
"But you said you'd train me!"  
"When did I say that?"  
"Yesterday, when we had this same conversation, you said: Why do I even bother, I always agree anyway." Vilkas grimaced, much to Elanna's amusement and the corners of her mouth tugged into a smile.  
"All right whelp, don't let it go to your head. Now, show me your swing." Vilkas unsheathed his greatsword and dug his heels into the earth. Elanna raised her sword and swung it at Vilkas, who blocked with ease.  
"Keep your form tight!" He blocked a hit, and then another, and countered pushing her blade wide and bringing his down to tap Elanna's shoulder. "If this was a real fight you'd have lost an arm." He pulled his blade away from the short elf, and gestured for her to take a breather.  
  


Elanna sat on the porch steps and let out a dejected sigh. She had insisted on training with Vilkas because his skill set was opposed to hers; where she fought with precision and quick hits to finish the opponent, he was focused on stamina and wearing out the opponent before striking. She knew adapting to the new style would be hard, but Vilkas was even more skilled than she had anticipated, using his blade like a steel wall between him and his opponent. She had yet to land a hit on him, and after her acrobatic stunt the first time they'd fought he was even more cautious.  
"Gods Elanna don't look so miserable, you're improving." The Nord offered her his hand and pulled her back to her feet in one fluid motion.  
"Come here." He instructed her to stand by one of the dummies at the far end of the yard. "Lift your sword- no not like that-" He leaned on her small frame from behind, his large hands enveloping her petite ones on the sword and shield. Elanna flinched, startled by his closeness, but allowed him to rest his chin on the top of her head.  
"Like this," he directed Elanna's arm in a pattern; first the shield to stun the opponent, then the sword to wound, but keeping the shield up to protect.  
"No- you're poking your elbows out too much, wait-" he used his own arms to push Elanna's towards her body, repeating the motions.  
  


As hard as she tried to concentrate on the technique, Elanna couldn't help but be conscious of his warmth against her back. She felt slightly uncomfortable, unused to being close enough for his heady scent to fill her nostrils. After what felt like hours, Vilkas released her and stepped back quickly. Elanna caught the sound of footsteps crunching towards them and took a deep breath, hoping that nobody would notice the blush she could feel burning in her cheeks.  
  


It wasn't so bad that Farkas was halfway across the yard, making his way towards them but the fact that Aela and Skjor stood on the porch, with identical suggestive expressions on their faces, that made Elanna want the ground to swallow her up. How long have they been watching us…? If Vilkas noticed he ignored it, instead choosing to greet his brother by clasping his hand and pulling him into a man hug.  
"I'm here for the whelp. We've been given a job." Farkas said tersely. He cocked his head and turned back to Jorrvaskr and Elanna followed hot on his heels.  
"Say Elanna, who is your favourite God?" Aela spoke boisterously, and loudly enough for Vilkas to hear across the yard.  
"Isn't it obvious? Elanna must be an agent of Mara!" Skjor replied, and the two degenerated into fits of laughter as Elanna passed by them, re-entering Jorrvaskr.  
  


She followed Farkas's instruction to pack enough gear for a couple of days' trip, putting together some rations and potions.  
"Do you mind if I pick up some herbs from Arcadia's? I'm running low on health poultices." Farkas grunted his approval as the two walked out of the living quarters. _Maybe I should talk to Kodlak…_ Elanna had been so busy she hadn't had a chance to pin down the old man for a serious chat. _I guess it can wait_. She decided as she followed Farkas out of the front door.  
  


The markets were bustling with mid-afternoon shoppers as Farkas and Elanna made their way down to Arcadia's. The pair agreed to split up as Farkas had to buy some meats at the stall, and they had just done so when Elanna was stopped by a courier on his way to Jorrvaskr.  
"Ms. Oakshade? Delivery for you, your eyes only." He handed Elanna a bit of paper sealed with wax before slipping into the crowds. She snapped the wax, opening the folds to see a large black handprint pressed onto the paper. Underneath, neat, calligraphed letters were printed in the same black ink, reading ‘we know’. Elanna stared at the paper, trying to remember what exactly the sender might "know". Probably a prank she thought and stuffed it in her pocket, more focused on how she would barter for her herbs.  
  


The pair met up at Whiterun's gate and headed out, ready for their trek, making steady progress towards the northwest. It had been about an hour of walking in silence when Elanna perked up and asked:  
"So, what is this job we're going to do?"  
"Skjor thinks there's a fragment of Ysgramor's axe in a crypt. We're going to get it." Farkas's reply was abrupt as usual, but after a moment he softened and added, "I'm testing you. Get this right and you're a fully-fledged Shield Sister." He flashed Elanna a rare smile.  
"So, what are we expecting to fight in there?"  
"Just the usual, draugr, spiders. Nothing we can't handle." The conversation flowed as they reached their destination, Dustman's Cairn. Night had fallen by the time Farkas and Elanna reached the pit, so Elanna suggested making camp and taking the barrow in the morning.  
"Why? Aren't you itching for battle?" Farkas looked at Elanna with suspicion, as if some evil spirit had taken her body.  
"We've been walking for almost half a day, Farkas. Don't you think we should be at full strength?" The Nord grunted unhappily, but trudged towards a cluster of trees in order to set up his tent.  
  


They spoke little while they ate, and when he'd finished Farkas went into his tent without a word. Elanna was not offended, though. Even if he sulked, that didn't change the fact that she was right. She stomped out the dying embers of the fire and slipped into her tent, curling up in the bedroll.  
  


_Smells of sweat, damp and death. Chattering voices, a man, a woman… an Orc? No, Khajiit. Bed unfamiliar to the touch-_   
  


"Sleep well?"


	4. Chapter 4

“Sleep well?"

  
Elanna’s eyes shed the blurry veil of sleep and shot to the source of the voice, a woman perched in a precariously high position with relative ease. Elanna got up off the bed and inspected the woman holding onto the beams in the ceiling of the unfamiliar shack they were in. She was clad in black and red leathers that were universal across Tamriel.

_  
Dark Brotherhood. Crap._

  
“Just peachy. You know, there are easier ways to get my attention – like oh, I don’t know, making an appointment with my housecarl?” Elanna quipped, trying not to let her panic show on her face as she replied.  
“Now where is the fun in that?” The woman laughed heartily, which was surprising because Elanna was sure that if she even moved an inch she would plummet from the dresser she was balanced on.  
“Though,” the woman continued, recapturing Elanna’s attention, “ _acquiring_ you was a much more difficult task than I’d imagined. I had to unload almost a full quiver into your friend.”  
“Farkas!” Concern whispered out of Elanna’s mouth before she could stop it, and the woman latched onto it seeing she’d struck a nerve.  
“I imagine that if he hasn’t gotten any help by now he’s joined old Grelod.” She mused. 

  
The name made Elanna’s stomach drop. Of course, it all made sense. She recalled the desperate young boy in Windhelm that was trying to sell his soul because of that horrid woman. Elanna was no killer but that old bat deserved to be murdered, and when it came down to it she didn’t even blink when she shot the arrow into the back of her brain. After all, better her soul was lost than those Grelod was responsible for.  
“Who are you and what do you want?” Elanna’s voice steeled. The woman was not going to see her crack.  
“You may call me Astrid, and I have a bone to pick with you. You see, that little Aretino boy was looking for me, and my associates. Grelod was our kill, kill you stole – a kill you must repay.”  
“What?”  
“If you turn around you’ll notice my guests,” Astrid spoke as she inspected her immaculate nails, “one of them has a contract on their life, and won’t walk out of here alive. But which one?” Elanna turned to the three hooded figures at the other end of the shack. Two were Nord, a man, and a woman, the third was Khajiit.  
“Make your kill,” She ordered. “I will just sit back and admire.”  
Elanna walked up to the prisoners, conversing with them. They all seemed like horrible people, but Elanna couldn’t help but feel discomfort at the idea of killing one of them. _Who am I to pass judgement on these people? Who do I protect by killing any of them?_ The more she thought about it the more distraught she felt, until the only viable solution came to her with terrifying clarity.

  
“I kill someone in this room and I’m free, right?” Elanna said breathlessly, heart thudding violently in her chest as she notched an arrow in her bow in front of the hooded Khajiit.  
“That’s right,” Astrid called.  
“All right then.” She raised her bow and pulled the string back, aiming the arrow at the Khajiit’s head, only to turn around and let it fly at her mysterious captor.  
 _Dammit!_ The arrow struck slightly above its target, embedding in the right shoulder instead of the heart, and Astrid let out an enraged cry. Elanna let loose two more arrows, but the woman was lightning fast and swooped down to the ground unsheathing her dagger. Elanna barely has time to unsheathe her sword by the time the assassin closed the distance.  
“ _iiz!_ ” The shout halted the woman by encasing her in ice. It didn’t last long enough, as Elanna only managed to get a few swings of her sword in before the infuriated assassin busted out of her ice prison. She swung her dagger down and Elanna blocked with her shield. She deflected a few more blows before countering, pushing the weapon wide and moving in to dig her sword into Astrid’s shoulder with a sickly crunch. The assassin stumbled back, letting out a howl of pain. _Didn’t cut clean off, but I mimicked the move decently…_

  
She pulled the sword out before slashing a near fatal blow diagonally across Astrid’s body, and the assassin crumpled to the floor clutching her almost severed arm. It would be over in a couple of minutes. Elanna closed the distance between the women and rooted around in her pockets for the shack key.  
“Well… done…” Astrid huffed, sputtering up blood as she spoke.  
“I’m sorry,” Elanna grunted as she fished the key out from a secret pocket in the leathers.  
“So am I.” Astrid took advantage of Elanna’s lowered guard and used the last of her strength to sink her dagger into Elanna’s gut.

  
Elanna staggered away from the inanimate assassin, the piercing pain in her gut impossible to ignore. She could tell the dagger was enchanted, and there was a sharp sting as it began to sap away at her energy. She lurched towards the prisoners, magic messing with her balance, and untied the housewife.  
“Untie the others then get the hell out of here.” She commanded. Steadying herself, she hobbled over to the door and unlocked it, throwing the door open and launching herself out of it.  
“Where in Oblivion am I?” She hissed as she scanned the unfamiliar landscape. The bright midday sun illuminated marsh land, with sparse clusters of vegetation. She vaguely remembered that swampy terrain was typical of Hjaalmarch, but as survival instincts kicked in location became an unimportant detail. She stumbled southward until she found a safe cluster of trees for cover, and then sat against one of the trunks.

  
_Think… what would Colette say…_

  
It was quickly clear that the dagger was the biggest danger and had to be removed, as it was playing more havoc with her otherwise intact functions. Elanna grasped the hilt with both hands, with a sharp intake of breath she braced herself. A yelp of pain escaped her lips as the blade slipped out of her abdomen, red tendrils of magic energy trying to attach it back into the wound. She felt the effects almost immediately, and suddenly she could think clearly again.  
“Blasted thing… ruined my leathers…” Elanna knew it was a petty thing to think in the circumstances, but at that point she needed petty. She leaned into the trunk and gathered a swirl of healing magic in her hand before letting it dissipate across her body. She shifted uncomfortably as her flesh knitted itself back together. _I wish I’d trained in more than just the basics…_ Elanna lamented, as she realised she’d need more than just her own talent to properly heal the damage.

  
After taking a quick breather she dragged herself to her feet and started making her way southward. It was late afternoon before Elanna reached what seemed like a road. She was flooded with a sense of relief – where there were roads, there were towns, healers, and carriages to take her back home to Whiterun. The relief was short lived. As she reached the stone road a roar echoed across the sky, and flushed Elanna’s blood with ice. Elanna gripped her sword as powerful wingbeats filled the air, and the green Blood Dragon came into view.  
“Dibella’s tits,” She cursed before muttering: “They have the worst bloody timing.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to say a huge thank you for the positive response to this silly little story :D As a little token of my gratitude I put in the extra work to bring you this chapter early, I hope you guys enjoy it!

Vilkas had been travelling for three days before he caught her scent. As soon as Farkas stumbled back into Whiterun all Companions had been sent urgent missives to suspend their missions and search for their newest member, including Vilkas and Ria who were on their way to a job in Hjaalmarch. Vilkas boiled at the thought; the missive told that his beloved brother was riddled with arrows when returned. He could not help the angry snarl that escaped his lips, which startled his follower.  
"What's the matter?" Ria laid her hand on Vilkas's shoulder.  
"Nothing. Don't mind it." He grunted back, surging towards the earthy smell he'd picked up in the wind with renewed speed.  
"Vilkas," She moved to block him and grasped his other arm to plant herself directly in front of him. "You’re no use so distracted… is it Farkas?"  
"I said it's nothing," he said more forcefully, "c'mon I think she's this wa-"

  
He was cut off by a thunderous roar in the direction of the East.

  
"What in Oblivion was that??" Ria lifted her arms over her head as if the sky itself was about to fall onto her.  
"I don't know. But I don't like it. Let's go and see, eh?" The sound had come from the same direction as Elanna's scent, and as he got closer to the cries bellowed across the sky, the scent too got stronger. Vilkas picked up a metallic tinge in the air that could only have been blood. _She must be bleeding heavily if I can smell it from here_ , he mentally noted, picking up his pace to the point Ria had to run to keep up with him. Times like this made Vilkas wish he could use his beast form to heighten his senses, his strength and speed. As a human, only a few of these powers bled through and Vilkas felt handicapped for it. It didn’t take long for the two Companions to find the source of the commotion. Vilkas saw the dragon first. Both he and Ria stood in awe of the magnificent and terrifying creature, scales reflecting green as it let loose a jet of fire from its mouth to fry the guards nearby. From the looks of their armour, they were from Morthal, the town being a short distance from their location.  
“Ria! Go get help!” He barked at the whelp. She swallowed her words of protest when she caught the glint of fear in the older man’s eyes, simply nodding and taking off towards the town.

  
The dragon lifted its wings and pushed off from the ground, knocking any guards that hadn't been toasted to the floor, but before it broke out above the treeline a woman ran across its' back to sink a dagger into the wing. Gravity did its' work, but as the short elf fell to the ground the dagger also slashed through the wing membrane, making the dragon hiss, and crash back into the floor. It took Vilkas a few minutes to recognise the plucky Wood Elf as Elanna, a few more to believe it. His feet moved of their own accord and he unsheathed his greatsword. While Elanna danced around fireballs to keep the dragon's attention, Vilkas launched his sword into its' side.  
" _yol_ !" A gush of flames licked the dragons’ side, burning the flesh that Vilkas had exposed. Vilkas swerved towards the source bewildered before regaining himself. _Middle of a battle, don’t lose focus!_ He chided himself as he thrust his sword through the singed flesh up to the hilt. It was just the opportunity Elanna had needed. The dragon lashed out before doubling over in pain, and Elanna used this to launch herself up onto the dragon’s shoulder and seat herself on its neck.  
 _Gods she’s acrobatic…_ Vilkas stopped himself before that thought went to places he decided it shouldn’t. The elf sank her sword into the back of the dragon’s neck, and then added a dagger to boot. The dragon tried to roar, but the sound came out as more of a surprised gulp. It struggled for a few seconds before finally falling.

Vilkas stepped around the dragon gingerly, moving to its head where Elanna still sat.  
“I think it’s safe to say you’ve been going easy on me, whelp,” His tone was warm as he offered her his arm to help her down. Elanna smiled brightly at him, reaching to take the extended hand before tumbling off the creature.  
“Elanna!” Concern coloured his voice as he caught her. The elf was not conscious, but breathing, her armour sticky with a mix of sweat and blood – a freshly opened wound in her left side seeping blood into the leathers. _This wound is old. She’s been bleeding on and off for hours._ He detected traces of dark energy that could only be magical in nature. _So her enemy didn’t fight fair._  
“C’mon whelp, let’s get you some help,” He muttered angrily, turning towards the town. The air behind him hummed with energy and Vilkas turned to see tendrils of white attach to the woman in his arms.  
“No! I won’t let you-!” He began, snarling at the energy as if it was alive, but stopped when he felt the tension melt out of her body in response. The magic, it seemed, was helping with Elanna’s injuries. The magic poured into the tiny body, leaving behind just bones.

  
Vilkas’s eyes widened as his sword clattered to the ground, but he had no time to process what he had just witnessed as a voice came from the road.  
“Vilkas! I hope we made…” Ria stiffened at the sight of him. Vilkas glanced over from her to the small squadron of guards behind her, to the cart that was following to the rear.  
“Good, you brought transport.” He turned his attention to the leader of the guards, who had stepped out from behind Ria. “Hail. I suppose we should take the injured to Morthal? One of mine needs treatment, too.” He gestured with his head to the unconscious elf, and the guard nodded giving his men orders to round up their wounded. Vilkas carried Elanna to the cart and laid her down carefully.  
“What happened while I was gone?” Ria buzzed anxiously at Vilkas’s side.  
“I’m not exactly sure. I guess we’ll find out when she wakes up.” He replied, climbing into the cart beside his injured companion.  
  


*

Elanna turned with a start, the large dragon looming over her.  
“Hi! Dovahkiin!” The dragon hissed at her. Elanna rolled her eyes.  
“Not another vocal one. Which one are you then?” She concentrated her mind and soon found the answer. “Ah, Dunyolsuum. Well, welcome to my soul, you’ll be here for a while.”  
“Nid! Nid! Hi nis viik zu’u!” Dunyolsuum screeched, attempting to slash Elanna with his claws. Elanna swatted his talons away with ease, amused at the confusion on the dragon’s face.  
“You think you can attack me from within my soul? You aren’t the first aggressive passenger I’ve had.” She smirked at the rage in the dragon’s expression. “Besides, if I die what will happen to you?”  
“Hi los ni mul uv dun. Zu’u lost saan, fin ruz Dovah fen ni.” The dragon’s eyes narrowed as he replied.  
“Is that so? Well you best hope your soul is transformed before that then, right?” Elanna was undaunted by the dragon’s threats. The dragon snarled, but then uttered a healing spell for Elanna’s body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Dovahkiin! - You! Dragonborn!  
> Nid! Nid! Hi nis viik zu’u! - No! No! You cannot defeat me!  
> Hi los ni mul uv dun. Zu’u lost saan, fin ruz Dovah fen ni. - You are not strong or skilled. I have lost, the next dragon will not.
> 
> So that's it! I get my dragon language from the wonderful Thu'um.org (https://www.thuum.org/translator.php) :3


	6. Chapter 6

At first she thought her head was still spinning from the blood loss, but after a few minutes Elanna realised that she was indeed moving. Her eyes peeled open and she scanned her surroundings; she was in a cart, laying in the middle with a person to either side of her. To her left, she vaguely recognised the fellow whelp, Ria, who was sleeping gently; when she looked to her right, her eyes locked with a pair of ice-blue ones, gaze fixed intently in the early morning light.  
“Finally joined the land of the living?” His voice was neutral, but Vilkas’s gaze was cold. Elanna sat up to answer him, but immediately regretted it as pain bounced around her skull.   
“Uggghh, my head…” She leaned against the front of the cart for support. “It’s like when we tried to drink more than Torvar…”   
Vilkas scoffed at that, and out of the corner of her eye she caught a brief smile on his face. Elanna grinned back, remembering how he’d watched silently in amusement as Farkas and Aela scolded them the day after; all the whelps passed out on the benches of Jorrvaskr, except Torvar who was still sipping his eighteenth bottle of mead.   
  
  
The moment was lost as Elanna recalled her conversation in the shack, looking at Vilkas wide eyed.   
“Farkas…” It wasn’t said as a question, but Vilkas understood exactly what Elanna was asking.   
“I don’t know.” Was his terse reply. On seeing Elanna’s confusion, he added, “We were on a job when we got the message that you’d been taken, all Circle members were to lead the search.” He gestured to Ria as he spoke. Elanna gaped at the man, who was boring a hole into the side of the cart with his gaze.   
“Gods, Vilkas I… I’m sorry, I didn’t know-”   
“What? What didn’t you know?” The vicious stare that was cutting through the cart rounded onto her, and Elanna wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground.   
“I didn’t think they’d come after-”   
“You didn’t _tell_ us you were in trouble! What did you think, we wouldn’t help? Or did you just not want to pay for protection?”   
“I wasn’t in trouble! If you’d just let me explain-”   
“You **weren’t** in trouble? Really? You were just kidnapped for no reason, then? My brother attacked for **no reason** ?”   
“That’s not what I mean-”   
  
  
The pair were interrupted by Ria stirring. She looked to Elanna and then to Vilkas, then turned her attention to Elanna again.   
“You’re awake!” Ria wasted no time pressing her fingers to Elanna’s forehead and wrist. “You’ve been delirious for nearly five days since we found you. They said your wound was infected with some kind of life drain magic.” Elanna thought of the dagger stuffed into her pack and shuddered, but a thought buzzed into her head and she asked: “Wait, so how long has it been since…?”   
We’ve been away from Whiterun for almost ten days.” Vilkas didn’t need to add the fact that was how long he had to go without information about his brother, and suddenly Elanna understood his outburst.   
“Shit.” Elanna whispered to herself. The group was silent for a while as Ria completed the basic checks the healer had advised, before her attention turned from Elanna to the man who was back to staring a hole through the side of the cart.   
“Are you okay?”   
“I’m fine.” His answer was curt. “Get some rest, you had the last watch.”   
“Vilkas…” Ria reached over and took his hand, “Talk to me.”   
“I said I’m _fine_ ,” he snarled, snatching his hand away, but before he could continue Elanna interrupted:   
“Hey look it’s Pelagia Farm!” The two Companions strained to see what Elanna was pointing at and Elanna added, mostly for Vilkas’s benefit: “We’re almost home.” The Nord watched the Wood Elf intently. She gave him a pleading look and he grunted, settling down. Ria watched the exchange intently before settling, also.   
  
  
The cart dropped the trio off in Whiterun Stables, and Vilkas helped Elanna down before paying the driver. She was about to try and appeal to him again when they passed through the gates into the city, but the words died in her throat when she noticed the dark-haired woman leaning in the entrance of the house two doors away from the gate. The look of stifled fury on her housecarl’s face made Elanna groan aloud, earning worried looks from her escorts.   
“Look guys, go ahead of me? I have something I need to do.”   
Ria raised an eyebrow, but deferred to Vilkas.   
“What is it?” He asked flatly.   
“I have to calm my mother.” Elanna’s voice was dripping with sarcasm, but on seeing the suspicion in Vilkas’s face she added, “Please. I promise I’ll explain it later.” He simply nodded, and charged towards Jorrvaskr, Ria in tow.   
“My Thane.” Lydia’s voice was calm, but the worry in her eyes betrayed her.   
“Who told you?” Elanna replied wearily as she walked into her home and her housecarl let the door swing shut behind her.   
“The Jarl did. Would you like something to eat? I made stew.”   
“Wait what?” Elanna jumped up from the chair she’d settled in, wincing slightly at the sudden movement. 

  
Lydia’s eyes lit up in anger. “It was quite the drama. The warrior who was with you when you were taken petitioned the Jarl for help; imagine my _surprise_ when he contacted me, and I didn’t even know my Thane was in Whiterun!”   
“Hey I told you I was considering joining the Companions!” Elanna sighed as Lydia shoved a bowl of beef stew into her arms, and moved to a cupboard to find some bread. “Farkas is safe then?”   
“My Thane mentioned considering joining the Companions some three months ago, yes. As for the warrior who was with you, he returned to Whiterun with moderate injuries but after receiving sufficient healing he has mostly recovered.” The arched brow at her dishevelled state told Elanna that Lydia didn’t think the same of her own injuries. She handed Elanna the half loaf she’d rooted out and then sat beside her. “If my Thane had called on me, I could’ve kept you safe, but you elected not to tell me your plans and then you were kidnapped, by the Dark Brotherhood no less-”   
“You know about that?” Elanna spoke, taking another bite of stew soaked bread.   
“One of the guards recognised their distinct arrows. Your Harbinger has been notified.” Lydia fell silent, twiddling her thumbs in her hands.   
“I’m sorry Lydi. I didn’t get a chance to tell you but see I’m fine, and made it back in one piece.” Lydia thumped Elanna in the arm, and Elanna laughed heartily. “That’s the frosty housecarl we all know and love!”

  
It was mid-afternoon when Elanna clambered the stairs up to Jorrvaskr, having brought her housecarl up to speed. On entering, she was immediately relieved to see a long-haired Nord having an arm wrestle with a slightly older one.  
“Farkas! Skjor!” The distraction was enough for Farkas to push the back of Skjor’s hand to skim the table top.   
“Pay up, old man.” He smirked as he stood, and Elanna couldn’t help but grab the warrior into as close to a bear hug as her smaller frame could manage.   
“I thought I’d got you killed…” Elanna choked a sob as the ball of guilt she didn’t know she was still carrying dissipated.   
“Nah. I’m harder to kill than that.” Elanna let go, and a chuckle escaped her lips at Farkas’s typical abrupt replies.   
“Ahem. Elanna, I believe Kodlak would like to speak to you. He’s waiting downstairs.” Skjor interjected, and Elanna sighed deeply. She guessed this would be coming, and what made it worse was she didn’t know what he did and didn’t know. At best, none of the Companions would ever trust her again and at worst, he’d tell her to leave and never come back.   
  
  
She could hear raised voices as she entered Jorrvaskr’s living quarters. She’d heard her shout enough to know that one of them was Aela, but she had to come closer to realise the other was Ria.   
“She’s _dangerous_ Aela!”   
“You talk like you think she’s going to stab us all in the dead of night.” Aela’s voice was calm, but Elanna could tell it was straining.   
“She almost got Farkas _killed_ . If you’d just talk to Kodlak-”   
“Don’t you pretend you care about Farkas when we both know what this is really about.” Aela snapped, and Elanna just had time to see Ria go white before she knocked on the door and got both women’s attention.   
“Am I interrupting?” Her eyes zeroed in on Ria who was shifting uncomfortably.   
“Not at all, we’re done here.” Aela said icily, and Ria bolted from the room in fright. She sighed and sat on her bed, patting the space next to her. Elanna sank into the space beside her.   
“You gave us all quite the fright there, whelp. Lucky Vilkas set off on that job in Hjaalmarch after you and Farkas left, or we wouldn’t have found you so quickly.” She kicked her boots off and swung her legs onto the bed. “It seems the kidnapper kept you sedated over the days he travelled.”   
“She.” Elanna mumbled, but changed the subject. “What was all that about?” Aela was silent, observing Elanna’s discomfort, before speaking.   
“A word of advice about Ria. She is pleasant enough, a damn good fighter, a damn good Shield-sister, but she tends to get… possessive. You should be more careful with how you act around her. Not that it’s any of my business anyway,” she said, standing again and moving towards the door.   
“What in Oblivion does that mean?” But Aela was silent on the matter, instead urging Elanna towards Kodlak’s quarters.   
  
  
She knocked on the Harbinger’s quarters and cleared her throat.   
“Kodlak? Skjor told me you wish to see me.”   
“Ah Elanna, yes. Come in.” She pushed the door open to see the older man sitting at the table where she’d first met him, writing in a journal. He gestured for Elanna to sit across from him.   
“Vilkas told me what happened, how is your injury?”   
“I am healing well. What did you need to see me about?” The older man shut the book he was writing in and looked up at her.   
“There are things you need to tell me.” He said simply and Elanna sighed, sagging in her chair.   
“I… It’s hard to know where to start.” She looked over at Kodlak, but he stayed silent, waiting for her to gather herself. “I guess I should start at the beginning. I arrived in Skyrim nine months ago, sent with a missive of great importance by my mother and father in Cyrodiil. They needed me to deliver it to my uncle in secret, so I didn’t have travel papers. I was unlucky, as soon as I crossed over I walked into a trap set for Ulfric Stormcloak…” and then it all came tumbling out. Helgen, Bleak Falls Barrow, fighting dragons, becoming Thane, joining the College in Winterhold, Sarthaal, going to retrieve the horn of Jurgen Windcaller, accidentally earning the ire of the Dark Brotherhood by helping a lost little boy, meeting a friendly dragon, so much more and finally, joining the Companions. All the while, Kodlak listened intently – occasionally asking for clarification, but otherwise not saying a word.   
  
  
“…and that’s when I saw Vilkas, and he just smiled at me and said ‘You’ve been going easy on me’ in the yard. That’s the last thing I remember before I woke up in the cart outside Whiterun.” Elanna finished, studying Kodlak’s face for signs of acceptance. She didn’t expect to find any, her story wasn’t exactly a believable one, but she was still disheartened to find the older Nord a blank slate.   
“I have one last question,” He said, leaning back in his chair. “Why do you want to be a Companion? Surely, our cause is trivial to one with important missions such as you.” Elanna shifted uncomfortably in her seat, Vilkas’s angry face flashing in her mind.   
“In honesty? My motives aren’t entirely unselfish. With my problems, I find myself in need of skilled help,” she began tentatively, “but really? I’ve been alone in a strange land, I wanted the company of people who would accept me as their own. I just needed-”   
“Companionship? Well you came to the right place,” Kodlak said, a smile curling on his lips. “I would have liked to know sooner, but it is good that you spoke with me; and I will aid you to the best of my ability as your Harbinger.”   
“So you believe me…? You’re not going to throw me out…?” Elanna’s voice came out as a whisper, as she could scarcely believe it.   
“Heavens no, dear girl, in fact I will support you in every endeavour you are undertaking! It would be my honour.” He gave Elanna a supportive smile. “You must be tired; go and rest, we can come to an agreement on the details in the morning.”


	7. Chapter 7

It didn’t take long for business to proceed as usual in Jorrvaskr. Well, almost usual. Kodlak’s “support” of Elanna manifested in several different ways; though barely anything had changed, the others could feel the difference in Elanna’s status among the warriors and that made them restless. Elanna was suddenly exempt from the petty requests most whelps were put through, being allowed to train instead; she didn’t take on Companion requests with her fellow whelps – either she paired with Farkas or Aela, or she asked Lydia to accompany her. These measures were mostly on Kodlak’s insistence for her own safety after her abduction, but it also made her a target for her fellow whelp’s ire. Most flagrant though, was that Kodlak allowed Elanna to leave Jorrvaskr whenever it was necessary for as many days as she deemed fit, under the guise of sending her on a “special mission” on his behalf. This new rhythm continued for nearly a month, and tensions only rose with each passing day. The latest of these trips outside Jorrvaskr took longer than Elanna had said to Kodlak when she set out, because as she returned she was summoned before the Jarl as an advocate of the College of Winterhold to investigate the darkness settling in his son.

  
When she’d finished it was nearing the end of the day, but Elanna made a point to avoid Jorrvaskr and headed straight to Breezeholme. She pushed through the door and breathlessly sank into the nearest chair.  
“My Thane!” Lydia shot down the stairs. Elanna shook, gripping a two-handed ebony sword. “My Thane please, tell me what ails you!” The Nord grabbed her Thane’s shoulders, but Elanna didn’t respond to the touch. It was only when Lydia reached to take the sword that life seemed to return to the frail Wood Elf. Her hand shot out to grab Lydia’s in a vice-like grip and her face snapped up to look at her housecarl with wild eyes.  
“Don’t touch it!” Elanna hissed.  
“…my…my Thane I…” They stayed there a few moments before Elanna fully resurfaced. She let go of Lydia, who was at that point starting to tremble, and motioned for her to sit down.

  
Elanna grabbed a nearby pitcher of water, handing her housecarl a glass before placing the sword very carefully on the table and sitting back down.  
“I didn’t mean to scare you Lydi. Are you hurt?”  
“No, my Thane. I’m simply concerned for you, how goes your mission?”  
“Lydia you’re my best friend, I’ve told you not to be so formal.” A smile curled on Elanna’s lips. “It went well enough, but I’m left in a predicament. In fact, I think I need you to do me a favour.” she sighed.  
“Anything.” Lydia squeezed Elanna’s fingers.  
“That.” Elanna gestured with a wave to the sword resting on the table. “It contains a nugget of Mephala’s power.”  
“The daedric prince of _murder_ ? That’s what was affecting Jarl Balgruuf’s son?” Lydia’s eyes widened as Elanna simply nodded.  
“The whole way here, the sword whispered to me. She wanted me to…” Elanna trailed off, ashamed, but forced herself to continue. “She was trying to get me to kill you.”  
“I… see.” Lydia’s face was blank as she took in that information and Elanna offered her a rueful smile.  
“It’s dangerous, Lydi. Mephala pushes you to plot murder, especially of those you care about most. If someone got a hold of it… I need you to take it away from here at first light.”  
“Of course, I understand.”  
“You remember where Sky Haven Temple is? Near Makarth? Take the blade to Delphine, have her hide it somewhere in its depths. Whatever you do, don’t touch it. Wrap it in a cloth or something.” Elanna glanced over at the blade once more, eyeing it warily as Lydia pulled out some cloth from a cupboard to wrap the blade in. Elanna lifted it and Lydia unfurled the cloth then pulled it over to cover the blade tucking in the ends.

  
Elanna was about to head up to bed when Lydia piped up again.  
“Humour me my Thane, did the sword push you to kill just me or…?”  
“No actually-” Elanna stopped herself. How would she explain the sword was pushing her to kill a certain rugged Nord, the man who still hadn’t spoken more than two words to her for what seemed like an age? Even more embarrassing, how would she explain how abhorrent that felt to her, how unfathomably-  
“Thane?” Lydia’s voice broke Elanna out of her thoughts as she peered curiously at her.  
“Uh, sorry, yes, it was trying to have me kill Kodlak. Yes. Kodlak. Kodlak and Aela.” Lydia simply rolled her eyes at Elanna’s reply.  
“So it was Vilkas, yes?” Elanna’s face reddened, but she said nothing.  
“Why don’t you just speak with him about the kidnapping?”  
“How? He won’t speak to me. He won’t train with me. He’s angry with me and he won’t allow me anywhere near him so I can put it right.”  
“Well that is quite the dilemma. My Thane, I believe that your situation may possibly be doomed.”  
  


*****

  
By the time Elanna woke the next day, Lydia had already set out on her journey. Elanna locked the door as she left her house and wandered out into the early morning light finally ready to return to Jorrvaskr. The early hours meant that her walk was relatively peaceful, as vendors had only just begun to sell their wares. The hall was also in its’ calm before the storm; as Elanna walked in Tilma was carrying bread and placing it in arms reach for when the warriors awoke for their morning meal.  
“Ms. Oakshade!” She would’ve clapped her hands in glee except if she had she would have dropped the dish of breads.  
“Tilma!” Elanna returned just as warmly. “Is Kodlak up yet?”  
“I believe so, he’s in his living quarters downstairs.”  
“Thanks.” Elanna manoeuvred her way around the table carefully so as not to spoil Tilma’s preparations, and bolted down the stairs into the living quarters… so fast that she didn’t spot the man at the bottom of the staircase until she’d slammed into him at terminal velocity. Strong arms wrapped around her waist to root her in place so she didn’t stumble; Elanna’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up to meet his icy blue stare, realising just how close to him she was.  
“Sorry Vilkas I wasn’t looking-”  
“Where have you been?” Elanna couldn’t help but gasp at the amount of venom injected in his question.  
“I… I was on a mission for Kodlak. You know-” The Nord simply grunted at her in response, brushing past to head into the hall. Elanna thought she would wince, but she’d gotten so used to his cold shoulder that the pang of guilt had dulled considerably. Though, her eyes still lingered on his back, wishing she could say something, until he’d walked out of her line of sight. Another big hand clapping on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts as Farkas smiled brightly at her.  
“He’s just grouchy. Kodlak is waiting for you.”  
“I should go see him. See you later?” Farkas grinned in a manner that was suspiciously close to the mischievous grin Aela had when she was planning something, but rather than question it Elanna chose to let it go as she made her way to Kodlak’s quarters.

  
Once again, Elanna found herself knocking on the door of Kodlak’s study apprehensively. She wondered if Kodlak made his charges wait outside the room longer than necessary, though there was no purpose for him to do so.  
“Come in.” His voice was not as jovial as usual, and when Elanna entered she could tell he was deep in thought about something or the other.  
“I can come back another time…?” She said softly, and his brow furrowed. It was clear he was troubled, but he tried to hide it as he looked up at Elanna with a brighter expression.  
“Oh don’t worry about me dear, here sit and tell me of your mission.” He motioned the seat opposite him.  
“Of course I worry. I owe you enough that my story can wait; let me half one of your burdens for a change.” Elanna said gently, sitting forward in her seat. The old man sighed, and for a minute Elanna thought he would not speak, but then he started up again.  
“What creed do you follow, Elanna?”  
“Excuse me?”  
“You are Bosmer; your people have their own Pantheon, yet you curse so colourfully using our Divines. Which Gods do you truly believe in?”

  
Elanna pondered the question for a while before answering.  
“I was raised in Cyrodiil, the Imperial Divines are the only Gods I’ve ever known. My parents had to embrace your Gods as equal to the greatest God of my people, the Great Oak Y’ffre. I have done the same.”  
“So you believe in Sovngarde?”  
“I suppose.”  
“I believe.” He stated while taking a sip of mead. “I believe that it exists, but also that the way is not open to me. Certain… decisions of my past have closed Sovngarde for me. It is one of my greatest regrets.”  
“What do you mean…?”  
“You… you will understand soon. I’m having Farkas take you back to Dustman’s Cairn. There… the answer will be made clear.”  
“Old man, you know I don’t like it when you go all philosophical,” Elanna grinned at him. “If that helps you with whatever is troubling you, then I shall.”  
  



	8. Chapter 8

It was early afternoon before Elanna and Farkas reached the burial site.  
“No don’t try, I know that you _knew_ Kodlak was sending us back here, I saw it in your face!”  
“No comment.” Farkas’s gruff reply was coloured with humour.  
“You did, didn’t you!” Elanna giggled, and Farkas gave her a wry smile.  
“Kodlak says you should join us properly, makes things easier. This is the ceremony.”  
“Ah.” She felt a shot of guilt that she was getting this chance to ease the tension between her and her comrades rather than for her worth.  
“Ready?”  
“Yeah.” Elanna pushed the thought to the back of her head and focused, drawing her bow in anticipation as the pair descended to the entrance of the stairs. They progressed with care and stealth, which suited the Elanna just fine but made Farkas irritable. For the most part the draugr ran head first into them allowing Farkas to roar into action, but the slower pace allowed Elanna to occasionally loose an arrow out of the dark at the distracted or sleeping; those draugr crumpled to the floor lifeless once more before the pair even got close. The two were entering a chamber when Farkas halted Elanna’s steps.  
“Here.”  
“Eh?” Elanna strained to see what Farkas seemed to have focused on.  
“Watch yourself, there’s danger here.” He said, walking with caution for the first time in their trip.

  
 _If it’s managed to make him want to be careful…_ A chill ran up Elanna’s spine stopping her from finishing the thought, but she shook it off. She slid smoothly into an alcove, running her hands along the rough worn walls before a glint of metal caught her eye.  
“Farkas! I found something!” She hollered giving the lever a tug, but didn’t catch the reply before the metal gate slammed down behind her.  
“I _told_ you to be careful!” His tone made her flinch, and so he softened it before continuing.  
“Are you alright?” She nodded. “I’ll try to get you ou-”  
“Behind you!” Elanna’s eyes widened at the group of nearly ten bandits edging towards her companion.  
“Well look what we have here.” One snarled, obviously the leader.  
“Which one is that?” A bandit said to the man beside him.  
“Doesn’t matter. He wears that armour, he dies.” The other replied.  
“Farkas there are too many…” The words came out as a whispered plea as images of Farkas skewered by swords flashed in Elanna’s mind. “Don’t worry about me and run, I can’t- not again-”  
“I’d end up dead either way.” Farkas whispered, cutting Elanna short. “Just watch, whelp.” He smirked at her before turning to the bandits. Elanna grabbed the metal bars and pulled desperately, forced to be a mere spectator as the room echoed the sound of cracking bones, gnashing teeth and Farkas’s heavy breathing. Soon the breathing turned to howling as Farkas transformed into a huge lumbering beast. He shot towards their enemies with frightening speed, clawing, jumping and biting. Any inexperienced bandits were dispatched immediately, though the others took longer it was obvious they couldn’t keep up with the ferocity of the creature and fell soon after.

  
Eventually there was only one person left in the room apart from the beast pacing amidst the strewn bodies, Elanna herself. The gate in front of her screeched as it lifted, catching its attention. _Not its’, his._ Elanna corrected herself, but looking over at the creature stalking towards her she wasn’t so sure. She took the opportunity to study him. Farkas still stood on two legs like a person, but was most definitely a wolf, that much was clear.  
“Farkas?” She asked tentatively. “…is that still you?” He was now towering above her, and Elanna gripped leather doublet hard to keep herself from acting on the urge to grab her sword.  
“Farkas…?” Her voice cracked as she watched him raise his large clawed hand and winced as it came down, only to feel him ruffle her hair lightly. Elanna burst into laughter as her tension melted.  
“Jeez you scared me!” She recognised the signature smirk on his face even in wolf form.  
“So how long will you be like that?” She questioned, and in response Farkas banged the wall twice.  
“Two… two hours?” Farkas nodded. “Ha! Well you can take care of the draugr then! We’re getting out!” She trudged away from the alcove towards the bandit bodies, looting anything useful as Farkas whined loudly at her.  
“Come on! You’re a wolf, not a puppy! Get to it!” She replied, a hand on her hip and the other pointing in the direction of the exit. The large wolf trudged in front and snapped at her playfully.  
“Yes I know, you’re still the boss.”

  
The rest of the path posed no threat as Farkas tore through the draugr with ease. They were nearing the very end when with a pained howl Farkas changed back.  
“Euchblechbleh!” He exclaimed sticking his tongue out. “Draugr meat.” Elanna couldn’t help but snigger at the exclamation.  
“Welcome back! Sooo… werewolf?” She said, unable to restrain herself any longer.  
“Yes.” He said curtly, pulling his chestplate over the chainmail.  
“All of you?”  
“Just the Circle.”  
“And the bandits?”  
“Not bandits. Silver Hand. Bad people that don’t like werewolves. Us.” He shrugged. He looked up at her after lacing his boots and added “This is a secret, Elanna.”  
“You wouldn’t have shown me if you didn’t trust me. This is what Kodlak meant? The thing that closed Sovngarde?” She said, offering her companion her hand. He nodded as she pulled him to his feet. The two said little after that before heading for the last chamber.

  
Elanna heard the chanting before she saw the word, but was surprised to feel the dragon locked in her chest thrumming in response. _Wow, so soon?_ She thought, but was brought out of her thoughts by Farkas bounding ahead of her to the altar.  
“The piece of Wuuthrad?” She quipped as he picked it up. The second he did, the rows of coffins they’d passed burst open and draugr surged forth.  
“Great!” She shot an annoyed look at Farkas before running up to the altar to face the oncoming draugr, but that only made the chanting swirl louder in her head. She unsheathed her sword and started hacking at a draugr that staggered toward her, but the dragon dragged her attention to the wall. She watched as more burst from the coffins after the first lot fell, blocking with her shield as they battered her back-  
 _Toor._ _  
_The dragon’s spirit set aflame in her chest but she squashed the process with pure will so she could focus on the enemy in front of her. She used a shield bash to put some space between her as Farkas set off a third group of draugr-  
 **_Toor._ ** **  
**The dragon burned brighter in her mind and Elanna felt her control slipping, her eyes were glazing over but still she ploughed forward with her sword. She saw Farkas finish the last of the draugr by him and turn toward her before her will broke and the dragon’s soul burned away, leaving only-  
“ _yol! toor_ _!_ ” The words burst forth from her, incinerating two draugr heading towards her. Having regained her senses, she easily cut down the rest.  
“Holy Mara, that was close!” She panted heavily, before stretching her arms.  
“You… breathe fire…?” She caught a glimpse of Farkas’s dumbstruck expression and straightened up.  
“And you turn into a wolf every full moon, what’s the problem?” He seemed to be eyeing her warily before accepting her response and shrugging.  
“You okay?”  
“Yeah. The process isn’t usually so… demanding.” She murmured, running her fingers along the wall behind her. Cool to the touch now; it’s power having seeped out into her. The Nord looked at her curiously but said nothing, and the two left the burial site.

  
When the duo returned to Jorrvaskr the sun was setting painting the hall in rosy hues. _Like the first day I got here_ . Farkas instructed Elanna to wait in the yard and disappeared to call the other Companions. She was grateful for the break, and sank onto the bench in the porch.  
“Tough day?” Elanna brightened up at the sight of Aela, followed closely by Skjor, and then Farkas together with a scowling Vilkas, and finally Kodlak.  
“Woman you smell like draugr. Have Tilma draw you a bath after this.” Aela clapped a hand on Elanna’s back and smiled. “What kind of magic allows a tiny little elf like you to spew fire eh? Tell us the secret.”  
“Never you mind,” Elanna stuck her tongue out as she stood. Kodlak cleared his throat and beckoned Elanna and Farkas forward.  
"Brothers and Sisters of the Circle, today we welcome a new soul into our mortal fold. This woman has endured, has challenged and has showed her valor. Who will speak for her?" He began reciting.  
“I stand witness for the courage of the soul before us." Farkas recited in reply.  
"Would you raise your shield in her defense?"  
"I would stand at her back, that the world might never overtake us." Farkas responded, not to Kodlak, but in the direction of his brother.  
"And would you raise your sword in her honor?" Kodlak continued the ceremony uncertain, watching the scene between the two brothers unfold.  
"It stands ready to meet the blood of her foes." Farkas stared hard at Vilkas.  
"And would you raise a mug in her name?"  
At this point, Farkas lifted his gaze from Vilkas and turned it back to Kodlak. "I would lead the song of triumph as our mead hall reveled in her stories."  
"Then this judgment of this Circle is complete. Her heart beats with fury and courage that have united the Companions since the days of the distant green summers. Let it beat with ours, so the mountains may echo and our enemies may tremble at the call."  
"It shall be so." The Circle said in unison, followed by Aela’s triumphant bellow:  
“Aye you’re one of us now! Let’s celebrate!”

  
Elanna watched the Companions file back into the hall before sidling up to Kodlak.  
“Sooo…” The old man chuckled at Elanna’s tone.  
“I would say something like ‘you’ve learned of some secrets too early’, but considering how many of yours we know I believe it to be only fair.” He nudged her with a raised eyebrow making Elanna laugh.  
“Do you want to talk about it now? The things I don’t understand?”  
“Yes.” He smiled. “But not tonight. The night is young, and I think Aela plans to make the most of it.” Kodlak smiled warmly, ushering the Wood Elf inside. The “celebration” it turned out, was Aela trying to fill Elanna with as much mead as possible.  
“Come now, you’re a fully fledged Shield-sister now! To not handle your liquor would disgrace us!” She roared heartily, handing Elanna her fifth bottle. It didn’t even take ten minutes before she began an inebriated brawl with Skjor, and amidst the chaos Vilkas had taken the opportunity to slip into Aela’s now vacant seat.  
“I suppose I ought to apologise.”  
“I suppose you should.”  
He didn’t apologise, choosing to quietly sip his mead. Elanna sighed and got up to leave when he grabbed her wrist.  
“Elanna wait. Just hang on a minute.” His voice was quiet and small as Elanna slipped back into her seat. “I’m sorry. Do you still want to explain? Because I’m ready to listen.”  
“Alright…” Elanna started slowly. “Where do you want to start?”  
“Not now,” He said, leaning towards her. “Once the festivities have died down and everyone has gone to bed come to my room. We can talk freely there.”

  
With that he got up, nodded at Farkas, and disappeared downstairs. Elanna stared fiercely at her lap; her cheeks burned while she processed what just happened. She looked across to the stairs again only to catch eyes with Farkas, who winked at her and gave her a thumbs up before Aela, satisfied that Skjor was beaten and not just letting her win, crashed back onto the bench beside her.


	9. Chapter 9

As Vilkas lay in bed staring at the ceiling it occurred to him that perhaps, he was a little bit of a sadist. He couldn’t help it, something in Elanna’s mortified expression, the crimson flush of her cheeks and the slightly stricken look in her eyes gave him a deep sense of satisfaction. It didn’t help her cause that she allowed herself to feel embarrassed with the smallest nudge. _Perhaps it is a Bosmeri trait,_ Vilkas considered, mentally comparing the wood elf with Aela who was unflappable to the point of being unfeeling. She was only ever shaken once, when he had asked about her pairing with Skjor, but even then, the fierce woman was only caught off guard a moment before snapping at him to mind his own business. Perhaps it was deeper than that – after all, the thrill of the hunt was something he appreciated more than most and she was the most exquisite pr-  
“No.” He growled softly, stifling the thought as he felt the beast inside rear its ugly head and prick its’ ears. _You will not even_ **_look_ ** _at her_ , he told it sternly. 

  
The slight creak of floorboards caught his attention, soft breathing, a quickened heart and then, a gentle knock on his door. He got up to pull on a shirt, but the knocking came again more urgently this time, so instead he opened the door.  
“You couldn’t wai-” Before he could finish the line he’d prepared the Bosmer grabbed a hold of his hand and started tugging him down the corridor.  
“Thank the Gods I thought you’d take forever and we need to be quick before anyone sees her oh my-”  
“Elanna.” He said it softly, but firmly, rooting himself on the spot. “What is it?”  
“We need to get upstairs quickly, I just left her there! I- why aren’t you wearing…?” Vilkas watched amusedly as Elanna finally looked at him properly, causing a red flush to creep across her cheeks. _She makes this too easy…_ he thought, watching her draw patterns across his chest with her gaze.  
“Do you want to stand there and enjoy the view? Or do you want to tell me what you left in the mead hall?” The elf stiffened, averting her eyes immediately and Vilkas couldn’t help but grin.  
“It’s better if you come see.” She muttered, letting go of his hand, heading towards the hall with renewed speed.

  
He noticed it immediately; the figure slumped over on the bench in the empty hall was unmistakably Ria. As they got closer, he picked up the stench of very strong sleeping herbs, originating from a pot on the fire. _An intruder? An attack?_ He charged to Ria’s side to check her breathing.  
“It was a mistake!” Elanna blurted out, as if sensing Vilkas’s alarm at the scene. “She must’ve seen you talking to me earlier so she waited till I got up and asked me where I was going and I couldn’t exactly tell her so I said the first thing that came to my head, that I couldn’t sleep and wanted to make a sleeping draught but she wasn’t convinced - obviously who would believe that kind of lie - so she followed me saying she wanted some too and I boiled some milk but I was panicking so I didn’t think to put less in and- wh-why are you doing that!? Stop sniggering!”  
On hearing that, Vilkas broke into a full and hearty laugh. The entire scenario before him was completely ridiculous. Though he was fully aware of Ria’s… inclinations towards him, for it to have progressed to this situation was so unbelievable he had to think it was a joke. What truly had him in hysterics was Elanna’s panicked reaction as she watched him in a wide-eyed stupor.  
“Vilkas stop it! You’ll wake her up!” Elanna’s eyes darted fearfully to the sleeping Nord on the bench.  
“Aha haha… I’ll wake her? There’s enough sleeping herb in that milk to floor a frost troll!” Vilkas had to lean on the chair beside him to keep from swaying.  
“I don’t know what I should do… is she going to be okay? I didn’t mean to hurt her…” The pained expression on her face snapped Vilkas from his reverie.  
“She’ll sleep like she’s hibernating, that’s all. I’ll just carry her back to bed, and she’ll wake up in the morning right as rain.” He placed a reassuring hand on Elanna’s shoulder, feeling tension drain out of her with his words. He hoisted the unconscious Nord onto his shoulder - spotting the half-drunk cups of milk as he did so.

  
They walked quickly but quietly back to the whelps sleeping area and Vilkas gently deposited his quarry. Vilkas waited until they’d gotten back to his room and shut the door before a roaring laugh escaped him. Elanna stared at him wide-eyed as the large man sank onto his bed, slapping the nearest bedpost.  
“We just snuck through Jorrvaskr like thieves in the night, only to put something back instead of take it! And you!” He sat up to look at her and she took a startled step forward. “The Circle are convinced you are purer than snow but you’re really a devious minx! How much of that milk did you pretend to drink before Ria finally dropped?”  
“I didn’t deceive anyone!” The wood elf took a more confident stride forward. “I drank more than her, but we resist things – I’d have to drink twice as much before it actually affected me!”  
“Is that so? Let me check,” The Nord flashed her a mischievous grin before snapping his hand over her wrist and pulling her in close, inhaling deeply.  
“Wait what’re you-wait-Vilkas what-” He could sense heat spreading in her body in response.  
“You really need to be a bit more self-aware, someone could take advantage.” He mumbled, letting go so he could admire his handiwork. “I was trying to smell the herbs on you.” He shrugged nonchalantly. He took an appreciative look at the blushing woman in front of him. Her deep green eyes alight with anger made him think of the way the forests felt while he was a wolf; deep and serene, but when in wolf form he could feel the slightest change in their moods. She was close to him now, the appealing earthy smell that was distinctively hers filling the air. He was teasing her, it was true. It wasn’t fair, that was also true. Perhaps, he was more than just a little bit of a sadist.

  
The elf shrank back to a comfortable distance before composing herself. “You told me to come to talk about the kidnapping, yes?”  
“Ah, no. Well, yes, but there was something else…” Vilkas trailed off and laid back again, considering. How could he ask what he really wanted to know without giving the wrong impression?  
“Speak, Vilkas. I’d _really_ like to leave before the others get up.” She indicated the candle burning almost at the base, telling them that daybreak was not far.  
“Why did they take you?” Vilkas said softly, and Elanna sighed, joining him on the bed but laying on her back so she was staring at the ceiling.  
“I did something stupid.” She paused, unsure, but he said nothing simply laying on his side so he could face her. “There was this boy, in Windhelm. He had run away from the orphanage in Riften. He uhh, asked me to kill the woman in charge there. She wasn’t… they weren’t…”  
“Hey it’s okay, you can tell me.” He reached across the distance between them to give her hand a gentle squeeze. She caught his hand and turned on her side to face him, too.  
“I didn’t believe him but I went anyway. She was so cruel that I couldn’t stand it. I didn’t even blink. Just…” She let go of him and made the motion of pulling a bow back to fire.  
“Thwack.” She said letting her arms drop back onto the bed. “Back of the head.”

  
Elanna shuffled towards him and Vilkas could feel her searching his face for signs of judgement, but he gave none. They lay beside each other in silence for a few moments before Elanna spoke again.  
“I’m sorry that they hurt Farkas.”  
“I admit, I was... irrational, on hearing the news. It was unbecoming of me to lash out at you.” He hadn’t intended to say more, but the burning question in his mind meant he blurted the next sentence out before he could catch himself. “I err, saw your reaction when you saw him unharmed. You must… care for him?” The small smile on Elanna’s face made his heart sink.  
“He is important to me; you all are.”  
“And… and you chose him, for your ceremony.” Vilkas had to carefully veil the disappointment in his tone.  
“No, Kodlak sent us together… what are you trying to say?”  
“But the way he was during the ceremony, tell me do you- I mean, you _care_ for him?” Vilkas shed all pretence, slowly but steadily closing the remaining gap between them.  
“I… um…” Elanna tried to hide her face but Vilkas lifted her chin to meet her eyes.  
“Tell me.”  
“I… no. Not like that.”

  
“Good.” And with that Vilkas gently covered her mouth with his.


	10. Chapter 10

It took a few seconds for the calm to warp into panic as Elanna’s eyes peeled open. She was immediately aware of the arm around her waist effectively pinning her against his warm, broad chest.The events of the night before came back to her; the situation with Ria, the conversation, the kiss… Elanna covered her mouth with her hand at the memory. Vilkas had _kissed_ her, and she hadn’t pushed him away. In fact, if she remembered correctly she may have encouraged it. They hadn’t gone much further, though, as the sleeping draught Elanna had drunk eventually caught up with her and made her extremely drowsy. _I have to leave before he wakes up…_ She thought and lifted Vilkas’s arm in a poor attempt to extricate herself without disturbing the sleeping Nord. Her efforts seemingly had the opposite effect; Vilkas reached to pull her against him again and held her securely against him with both arms.  
“Comfortable?” She could positively _hear_ him grinning as he spoke.  
“Stendarr’s balls, Vilkas! Let _go_ of me!” She whispered vehemently.  
“Dear Elanna, don’t be so cold to me,” He whispered nuzzling his head to press his lips through her hair on her neck. She yelped in response which only served to encourage him.  
“You need to let go of me, what if someone comes?”  
“Nobody is going to come in its fine,” Vilkas turned onto his back and lifted Elanna to lay her on top of him, arms wrapped firmly around her waist.  
“It’s almost time for morning meal, someone will-” Elanna’s protest was cut off by Vilkas leaning forward to snatch a kiss from Elanna’s lips. All protests died as thought ceased and Elanna melted, responding by lacing her fingers in his hair-

  
 _Knock knock!_  
  


  
The sound brought Elanna back to reality. She froze as the sound came again, followed by a voice:  
“Hey! Ice Brain Senior! Get up!” The unmistakeable voice of Aela bellowed through the wood as she aggressively hammered the door.  
“Shit shit why did it have to be Aela…” Elanna’s thoughts came out as panicked whispers.  
“Don’t worry, stay here.” Vilkas tried murmuring reassuringly but Elanna wasn’t listening.  
“Oi! Vilkas! Don’t make me open this door!” Elanna’s reaction to that was almost instinctive; she leapt out of the bed and clambered into Vilkas’s wardrobe with such force that the wooden box shook as she entered. She pulled the door mostly closed behind her, leaving it open a crack so that she could see as Vilkas took a leisurely stroll over to the door, opening it and leaning in the doorway.  
“What took you so long?” A slightly aggravated Aela walked into the room to stand in front of Vilkas.  
“The woman I spent the night with needed time to hide in the wardrobe before I opened the door.” Vilkas replied smoothly with a smirk.  
“Is that so?” Aela turned to face Elanna’s hiding place. “You didn’t think to tell her there is no use hiding? I can smell your scent coming from the sheets, Elanna.” Aela looked directly at her through the crack in the wardrobe.  
“Stop it, she’s shy,” Vilkas nudged Aela in the ribs.  
“Well all right, I’ll leave you two love-wolves to it.” She left the room, leaving a mortified Elanna to climb out of the wardrobe. She stomped over to Vilkas, still standing by the doorway, as soon as Aela was out of earshot.   
“The woman you _spent the night with_?” She slapped Vilkas’s bicep impulsively. “You realise how that sounds? Aela is going to think...”  
“Going to think what exactly?” He raised an eyebrow.  
“Shut up. You know what I mean.” She could feel her blush burning in her cheeks.  
“She doesn’t think that.” The Nord’s rumbling laughter only served to deepen her flush.  
“She might!”  
“Trust me, she does not.”  
“How do you know?”  
The Nord pushed off from the doorframe to lean over and whisper in Elanna’s ear;  
“Because if we had, she’d be able to smell that too.”

  
Before Elanna could even process that thought, a small cough from the corridor past the open door.  
“You’ve missed morning meal.” Elanna had never been happier to see a slightly bemused Njada peering at the pair as she spoke. “Kodlak wanted to see you before you left on assignments, Elanna.”  
“I-I see. What does- no I mean, did he mention why?”  
“He said he had some information for you? About your relatives.”  
“I’m on my way.” She bolted out of the room, barely registering the other Nord woman walking past until she had barrelled straight into her.  
“Gods-”  
“Sorry.” Elanna didn’t even wait to hear whatever curse was inevitably leaving the Nord woman’s mouth as she shot around the corner into Kodlak’s rooms.  
“Kodlak!” She battered at the door so hard that when the old man opened it she stumbled forward.  
“Careful there, young one!” He smiled warmly and gestured her to sit, but she refused to be placated.  
“Where?” She demanded.  
“Elanna this isn’t for sure.” The old man started calmly, “It’s just a whisper that Skjor brought back from a hunt, it hasn’t been verified.” The old man gestured across the room to his fellow Nord that, in her hysteria, Elanna hadn’t noticed.

  
Skjor gestured to the seat beside him at the table and Kodlak ushered Elanna towards it. The old man steered her into the seat and she perched on it as far forward as possible, as if ready to pounce off into action at any possible moment.  
“I was hunting near Ivarstead- just elk, mind -when I spotted him.” He shot a quick glance at Kodlak before continuing. “Bosmeri are few in these parts so seeing two or three is unusual. I followed him into town and saw him go into the inn. He’s probably still there.”  
Elanna sat still taking that information in. “What makes you think its anyone related to my uncle?”  
“Well I didn’t get a good look at them, but they smelled like you. Earthy, like all Bosmer, but more like summer rain.”  
“Then I’m going to Ivarstead.” Elanna stood determinedly. “Even if there is a small chance that uncle Brenner is there I have to try.”  
“Hold on lass, your housecarl isn’t back from her duties is she? You can’t go alone,”  
“I can’t afford to wait either! I’ve been looking for them for nearly a year now!”  
“Alright, alright dear girl,” Kodlak interjected. “You’re free to go, of course. We’re just worried for your safety. There isn’t a short list of people who don’t like you, and that’s without factoring in bandits and their ilk.”  
“Then I will take someone with me! But I _am_ leaving, and I’m leaving now.” With that Elanna got up and stormed off into the mead hall.

  
She had said that she would take someone, but when she got into the mead hall it was empty, with only Tilma passing by carrying utensils to be washed. _We missed morning meal, everyone has already had their assignments and left!_ Elanna cursed.  
“Something the matter dearie?” Tilma called as she cleared up the last of the dishes, noticing Elanna’s frown.  
“I was hoping to catch someone before they left to go on a trip with me,” Elanna sighed.  
“Well a few whelps went to see Eorlund, maybe there’s someone out the back.”  
“Tilma Gods bless I could kiss you!” Elanna hurried out the door, but not fast enough to miss Tilma reply “Please don’t.”  
Elanna’s face lit up at the sight of the Nord woman hammering a training doll in the yard.  
“Njada! I’m really in a bind could you _please-_ ” Elanna stopped dead as the woman turned and she realised that she wasn’t talking to Njada.  
“Couldn’t say two words to me this morning, but now rushing over to see me?” Ria’s voice was cold and thin.  
“I’m sorry Ria, really but please, I need someone to accompany me to Ivarstead as soon as possible.”  
“Why?” Elanna winced at the near malicious curiosity in her tone.  
“Just, please Ria.” On seeing this was not going to convince her, Elanna added “I’ll owe you a favour.”

Ria’s eyes lit up at the words.  
“Okay, I’ll accompany you to Ivarstead.”


	11. Chapter 11

The two women journeyed in near silence in the back of the cart hired at Whiterun Stables. Elanna had tried to strike up some basic conversation, but on watching her words received with cold glances and venom-filled words she had long since lost the will. The journey lasted half a day, but it felt like weeks to Elanna. She had tried a great deal to find her lost comrades, and this was the chance of a lifetime. Though, Elanna regained some semblance of hope as the cart pulled into the sleepy little town of Ivarstead. Across her journey, Elanna had found much misfortune, but Ivarstead had always been a pleasant memory for her, her trip to see the Greybeards had done much to soothe her frightened spirit and give her a new sense of direction.

  
Elanna had been in Skyrim for less than two weeks and had found it to be a harsh and unforgiving land for a woman who had never experienced any hardship whatsoever. In Cyrodiil Elanna’s parents, Thaddeus and Sira, had been reasonably wealthy merchants in the Imperial capital. The Oakshades seemed like a perfectly normal family of traders, selling trinkets crafted as they would have in the place from which the family hailed, namely Valenwood. It was perfectly normal, then, for the Oakshades to teach their young daughter how to hunt and survive in the wilderness; after all a key component of the jewellery and art pieces that the Oakshades sold were animal bones, and those had to come from somewhere, right? It was this reasoning that kept even Elanna in the dark about the true nature of her parents’ line of work; the fact they actually-  
“Hey, we’re here.” Ria nudged Elanna to bring her attention to the fact that the cart that had come to a stop outside the small village.  
  
  
Villagers were basking in the late afternoon sun when the two women disembarked from their cart and headed towards the inn. The few that recognised the Bosmer nodded a quick greeting her way; Klimmek’s greeting was especially warm. On entering the inn, Elanna scanned the hall only to feel a pang of disappointment to find it had practically no Nords in it, never mind any Bosmer.  
“Hey Wilhelm,” Elanna tried to sound casual as she strode up to the older man behind the bar, and the Nord grunted in response, continuing to wipe the glass in his hand.  
“Afternoon, Elanna. What brings you back round these parts?”  
“I was hoping to catch up with some family of mine. I heard they happened to spend a few nights here?”

  
The Nord stopped on hearing her words and looked up at Elanna, scanning her face for any sign of trouble.  
“Who are we talking here?”  
“My uncle, a Bosmer by the name of Brenner Nightsky - oh possibly with a few guests.”  
“Yeah, had some Bosmer in here for a few nights, let’s see here,” Wilhelm began to thumb through the guest book to the side of him. “Ah here we go, no Brenner but a booking under the name of R. Nightsky, he booked-”  
“Riann is here??” Elanna blurted, slamming her hands on the table which earned even more suspicion from Wilhelm.  
“The group left yesterday morning but there’s a night left on their room... say, you aren’t in trouble are you girl?” He spoke warmly as he set down the glass in his hand.  
“No, nothing like that – Gods I haven’t seen Riann in, well decades. I really want to catch him here since I don’t know where they’re living right now.”  
“You are welcome to wait here for them,” Wilhelm offered. Elanna nodded her thanks but decided she would first have a quick scan around the village before checking back in.  
  


In the excitement of possibly finding her relatives, Elanna forgot that she had a companion, one who had been silently observing up until the point where she stepped away from the bar.  
“So. This ‘Riann’ someone special? You seem quite excited to see him.” She quipped, a question that Elanna knew was much less innocent than it sounded. She held the inn door open for Ria to step out into the warm afternoon glow before answering.  
“Riann is my brother. He’s family.” Elanna said firmly. “I haven’t seen him since I was a young child, so of course I am excited.”  
“…Oh. Well, that’s…I hope you find him, then.” Ria spoke softly, and for once Elanna felt she was being genuine.

  
The two wandered Ivarstead a while, conversing politely before coming to an old, ruined house across the river.  
“You think it’s worth a look?” Ria spoke tentatively.  
“Might as well, we said we’d check everywhere.” Elanna forged ahead, crossing the river with relative ease. The shack was even more dilapidated close up, ruined by fire, and on closer inspection, there was evidence of a basic living area within the shack.  
“You think they might be using this spot?” Ria called across the ruined house.  
“Not sure… I don’t think so-”  
“REYDA!?”  
Both women screamed at the sound of the bellow from behind them, only to find it was a man; looking as broken and ruined as their surroundings.  
“Holy Mara! Don’t scare us like that!” Ria scolded, and the man burst into tears. She made to grab a hold of him, but stopped when Elanna placed a hand on her shoulder.  
“Oh, Reyda! Redya! You live among the clouds now, dear Reyda! I miss Reyda. She was so nice to Narfi. Narfi's sad he can't be with Reyda." The beggar, Narfi, mumbled to himself.  
“Let me try,” She whispered to her companion before turning to the now sobbing man. “Hey now, Narfi, tell me what ails you.”  
“Reyda was here, then gone. Went to gather plants and never came home... nope, nope. Everyone looked and no one could find her. Wilhelm said she'll be back... told Narfi not to worry... Reyda will come back,” The women exchanged unsure glances, and then back to the man before them.  
“Should we…?” Ria didn’t finish, but it was clear what she meant.  
“We have nothing better to do while we wait I suppose,” Elanna mused. A quick chat with Wilhelm pointed them in the right direction, and it took them under an hour to find the remains under the bridge into Ivarstead. They soon returned, the unfortunate woman’s necklace in hand.  
  


The beggar must’ve had some sort of eagle-eyed vision because despite Elanna attempting to tuck the necklace into her apothecary satchel the man began to shriek.  
“Reyda! You saw Reyda? Did you tell her Narfi cries? Did you tell her Narfi never said goodbye like mother and father…?”  
Elanna stared helplessly at the ruined man. What would be the use in breaking his heart further?  
“Umm, yeah we saw Reyda, didn’t we Ria?” She bit her lip and shot the other woman a pleading look.  
“She’s dea-”  
“Definitely coming back!” Elanna butted in before the other woman could finish. “She told me so herself! Here she gave me this for you!”  
She handed the necklace over and watched the elation on Narfi’s face.  
"You've made Narfi so happy! Narfi now waits for his sister until she comes home." he beamed, not even noticing a tight grip latch onto Elanna’s arm and wrench her out of the broken mill. The angry Nord managed to hold her composure until the women made it into the lightly wooded area outside before the fuming words burst out of her.  
“What the _hell_ was that? Why didn’t you let me tell him?”  
“You think he’d have been better off if I had…?”  
“He _deserves_ to know! He deserves to be told she’s _dead_ !”  
“What good will that do him though? Rather than make the guy suffer-”  
“Shut up! It's’ never better off this way!” Ria sank onto a nearby log, shivering slightly in the warm early evening breeze. Elanna watched in concern, but didn’t attempt to comfort her; after spending so long in Skyrim she had learned the importance of Nordic pride.  
  


The women spent several moments in silence after Ria’s outburst, and when she’d calmed enough she started to speak again.  
“While you were sick in Morthal I went to visit my folks,” She started quietly.  
“My Ma remarried when I was young, he was an ass and a mean drunk. I ran away as soon as my legs were strong enough, round about when my sister was born. I always promised, always, that I’d come back for my Ma, and when I found the Companions well, who better than the legends Kodlak and Skjor to learn from? I used to write to her, just this and that, tell her I was doing alright. Every now and again I got one back, polite notes asking me when I was planning to come back. I was always thinking, just a little more money and I can support them, just a little stronger and I can beat that worthless garbage black and blue before he lays another finger on my Ma. Well I got back, and the fucker had burned my house down, with my Ma and sister in it. Apparently, it happened months back and no one thought to tell me.” Ria lapsed back into silence. It took Elanna a while to muster the courage to say anything after that. Try as she might, she knew no words of comfort would sound genuine to the grieving Nord.  
“Hey, why don’t you let me buy you a drink? I think you could use a drink,” She chose to say instead.  
“Alright, elf. Give me a minute though.” The woman pushed off the log and made her way to the dilapidated shack, ready to give some bad news to an already broken man.

  
The Companions made their way to the inn in an awkward silence, and for once Elanna was glad for the influence of a little ale. She ordered two bottles from Wilhelm and also paid for a room with two beds for herself and Ria.  
“Say, Elanna.” Ria hiccuped out at the end of her fourth pint. “What’s going on between you and Vilkas, I mean really?”  
“I... I’m not particularly sure,” Elanna answered honestly.  
“Bah!” Ria slammed a sixth half empty mug onto the table. “You’ll never win like that!”  
“I… what?”  
“I won’t let you win if your feelings are as weak as that!” The loud outburst garnered a few cheers from around the room.  
“I think it’s time you retired for the night,” Elanna murmured to the drunk woman as she slung an arm over her shoulder and lifted her up.  
“I won’t lose! You’re my rival!” Ria slurred.  
“Of course you won’t,” Elanna said, voice coloured with amusement as she dropped the woman onto the large mattress.  
“I don’t have anyone else left… I won’t give him up to you…” Ria murmured into her blankets as Elanna pulled her boots off. Elanna sank on her own bed trying desperately to stifle the knot of guilt in her stomach.


	12. Chapter 12

The morning brought Elanna bitter disappointment as Wilhelm confirmed that Riann had not come back. The women packed their things and got ready to walk back from Ivarstead, but unlike before their tasks held comradery. They spent most of the journey giggling over their various experiences in Jorrvaskr.  
“ ...and Skjor was trying to comb the remainder of his hair to better cover his bald patch! It was the weirdest thing I’d ever seen! ”  
“Bahahaha!” Elanna burst into a fit of laughter. “Aela really has him in the palm of her hand! I can’t believe that-”  
Elanna gasped mid-sentence as the women passed the gates of Helgen. Just thinking about the events that occurred in the village was enough to shake Elanna’s core, and it did not help that the once bustling town was eerily silent. The macabre atmosphere was enough to get Ria to settle into an uncomfortable silence.  
  
  
That is, until a bloodcurdling roar thundered across the sky.

  
“Dragon!” The women scrambled into the forest land fast enough to avoid a jet of frost let loose from the creature’s mouth  
“Behind the tree!” Elanna managed to pull Ria beside her, temporarily out of sight as it circled overhead.  
“Oh sons of Akatosh…” The Companion cursed, and despite the strong stoic look on her face, Ria’s shaking knees was all the evidence Elanna needed to sense her fear.  
“Calm, woman. The weak points are the wings, the eyes, and certain soft spots along the spine. I need to get the back of the neck; catch its attention and keep it, and I’ll get up.” Elanna whispered authoritatively gesturing the treeline. The woman went wide-eyed, but grunted in response. Ria let out a roar and ran towards the path on poor adrenaline, and Elanna wasted no time using the opportunity to nimbly make her way up the trunk they’d hidden behind. Her position was to the right of the road; from the sturdy branch she was perched on she could just make out Ria waving her sword about in order to draw its attention.  
‘ _Okay, only a few trees to the dragon’s back. I can make it.’_ Elanna scanned the treelines from the top of the tree. _‘I can’t make the distance without shouts, though…’_ _  
_ “ _wuld!_ ” Elanna used her Thu’um to leap across the gap between the tree she was perched on and catch the sturdiest branch of the next. It took all of her upper body strength to pull herself up and onto it, and Elanna stopped to catch her breath before making her way around the next trunk.  
  
  
Ria spotted the elf creeping around a tree trunk and leap across to the next. Though she wouldn’t admit it out loud, it was an impressive sight - the Wood Elf’s prowess in forest battles was not exaggerated. The dragon seemed to register Ria’s interest in the treeline, but before it could turn Ria launched her sword at it. It howled ferociously as Ria somehow managed to pierce its eye; in response, it dived towards her and snapped its’ powerful jaws back in an attempt to eat her. She dodged, grabbing her blade and using the momentum of the dragon curving back towards the sky to swing herself onto its shoulder.  
“Aargh!” Ria stifled her scream as she landed the violent movement twisting her arm out of its socket. White-hot searing pain flared in her veins and in her disorientation, she couldn’t make out words being hurled at her from across the dragon’s back.  
  


_Who is…what is she saying…?_ Ria briefly considered before the adrenaline blocked the pain and her senses cleared.  
“Answer me! Are you okay!? Ria!!” It seemed that in a panic over the Nord’s wounded state the Elf had leapt too late, in doing so had missed the dragon’s back as it rose and was now hanging precariously from its’ wing, feet dangling in the air. The dragon thrashed wildly in an attempt to shake the people that had somehow snuck on for the ride.  
“Bah! Why did you get distracted in the midst of battle, elf!” Ria forced herself up and over to Elanna, using her good arm to pull the small woman up onto the relative safety of it’s back.  
“Sit still I’ll heal-”  
“No.” Ria grabbed Elanna’s arm firmly. “The weak spot.”  
A look of concern flitted across Elanna’s face before she fumbled with her pack and pushed a steel dagger into Ria’s hand.  
“You do it. With this.” She said determinedly, using an arm to steady her comrade she guided her to the right spot.  
“Here!”  
“Yahhh!”

  
Ria stabbed down into the creature with all the force she could muster; as steel pierced the soft flesh, dark tendrils spiralled out from the dagger across the Nords’ body. They extended across to reach Ria’s dislocated arm and yanked it back into place. The dragon roared, crashing back down to the floor with a resounding thud. The creature steadied itself, but before it could launch whatever strategy it had thought up Elanna sank her own sword into the beast, causing it to howl and with a heavy slump its’ legs gave out  
“It’s… it's done,” Ria heaved, hands still gripped around the hilt of the blade.  
“Not yet it’s not,” Elanna yanked her companion down the dragon’s wing. so the pair landed on the ground. The creature watched her as best it could as it lay dying and Elanna pressed her forehead against its’ snout.

  
“Krosis. Kos voth zu’u, ahrk zu’u fen dein hi voth kah,” she muttered. The dragon stared at her for a few moments, but with a sigh shut its eyes and the absorption process began. Light enveloped them as the very essence of the creature bled into her, cold tingling nipping at her skin as the slightest of clues to the dragon’s true nature. When only bones remained, Elanna took a deep, steadying breath and moved to collect her weapons that had clattered onto the floor, resolving to leave the remains as they were out of respect for the dragon’s dying submission.  
“What kind of spell was that?” Ria asked, hovering as far away from the dragon’s physical remains as possible.  
“It wasn’t. Come on, we shouldn’t tarry here.” Elanna replied. They had landed back in Helgen, so Ria was only too happy to oblige. Elanna willed herself to ignore everything but the exit when a plaintive whinny caught her attention. With a short gesture to Ria they scanned the immediate area but no further; she was unwilling to subject herself to the carnage left behind in the formerly quaint village if she didn’t have to.

  
Thankfully, she didn’t need to investigate much to surmise the source of the noise. Most structures had long since been devastated beyond repair, but whichever foolhardy bandits had moved in chose to patch up the gatehouse. They had been rewarded for their troubles by becoming dinner for the next hungry dragon, along with all but a single silver-dapple bay horse - still shuttered in the makeshift stables. The horse noticed the women and whinnied louder, headbutting the doors that kept it confined.  
“It was probably stolen and forced to stay here, otherwise most wildlife I’ve seen avoids this place.” Ria said, voice coloured with distaste. Elanna was careful to move towards the creature slowly, arms up in a placating manner.  
“Hush, young one,” Elanna said, for it was a young horse - from the patches of tawny spotting in an otherwise chestnut coat she guessed it was a hair’s breadth older than the average colt. She reached out to stroke his face and run gentle fingers through his pale tan mane. “That was a scary experience wasn’t it? Yes I know it was, I went through it too. It’s okay now, shhh. We won’t hurt you.”

  
She cast Calm and murmured comfortingly to him until the young horse had settled into her hands, only then electing to make a move for the stable doors.  
“I think he will let us ride him now,”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yes.”she held the reins and waited for signs that the creature would allow it before climbing onto his back. “Without him the journey back to Whiterun will take days and your injury needs proper attention.”  
“Wasn’t that the point of your fancy magic knife?”  
“The magic gave you use of your arm back in the middle of a battle; that wound is probably going to need a few weeks with a healer’s touch to get back to normal.”  
“I’m _fine_.” Ria wiggled her fingers emphatically as if to further the point.  
“Really? Climb onto this horse without my aid.”  
“If it pleases you.” Ria grumbled. She tried to haul herself up behind Elanna only to let out a gasp of strangled surprise when her sword arm immediately gave. Not one to let her pride be so easily overcome she gave a few more attempts; the Nord kept trying until the horse’s displeasure finally won out and she was bucked off his flank. Elanna’s pointed look earned her an unimpressed scowl from her companion, but Ria didn’t refuse when help was offered.

  
Night had fallen by the time the two women arrived back at Whiterun. At Elanna’s insistence, Ria had promised to see Arcadia at first light before crashing into a bunk with her fellow shield-siblings. Although Kodlak was probably sleeping, Elanna felt she would take the extra minutes to inform him of the development. It was when she’d made it to his door, practically the millisecond before her knuckles rapped against the wood, that she was grabbed into the shadows and pulled into a passionate kiss.  
“You could’ve said hello first,” she chuckled when he finally let go.  
“Hmm, but this sort of greeting is so much more fun,” The voice in the dark that was definitely _not_ Vilkas responded. Panic flooded Elanna from her hairline to the tips of her toes; eyes adjusting to the dark took in the mop of auburn hair, mischief filled eyes and deep black uniform that, if she was seeing a few months prior, would have made her feel at home.

  
“ _Brynjolf_?” Incredulousness was the wrong reaction as the wry smile was replaced with suspicion in his face as she instinctively pulled away from him.  
“Come now lass, you haven’t forgotten me already have you? I’ve half a mind to be offended, you know.”  
“No of course not I just- I thought you were- what are you _doing_ here?”  
“Isn’t that obvious? I’m here for you.”  
“That’s nice, but as you can see I’m busy so-”  
“You broke your word, Elanna. Once you’re in, you’re in.” Her mouth opened to deliver a snappy response but the menace on the Nord’s face told her it would not be appreciated. “I see that I’m going to have to sweeten the deal. How about the whereabouts of a certain group, one that ambushed a Guild transport that arrived at the Rift’s Imperial camp about two nights ago?”

 _  
The Imperial camp in the Rift? Wouldn’t that be an hour out from-_ Gears whirred in Elanna’s head as the pieces slowly slotted together to form an exacting picture.

“Ah, I see you’ve understood exactly what I’m offering. Come with me, and I can give you your precious family.”


	13. Chapter 13

Dread deepened in Elanna with every step she took away from Jorrvaskr. Her body felt like it was wading through mud as she forced her legs to move, one foot in front of the other, in the empty streets. She was a few paces ahead of Brynjolf as far as she could tell but she knew that his eyes had never left her. He was following her from the shadows and dark corners of the city’s nightscape. Walking past Breezeholme was especially difficult; Lydia would have long since returned and it took all the discipline Elanna could muster not to run into the house and hide behind her housecarl. Instead, she forced her path to be ramrod straight - past the quaint cottage she called her home and through the city gates. To her credit, she was unsurprised when Brynjolf chose that moment to materialise beside her as if from thin air.  
“I have a horse not far from here, lets go.”  
“ _A_ horse?” The devilish grin she got in response made it clear she shouldn’t have asked.  
“We’ve shared plenty more besides, have we not? What’s a horse, a campfire, a tent-”  
“Okay, enough. I get the idea, Bryn.”  
“If you’re truly uncomfortable Anna, you could always just steal one from the stables.” he mused, and Elanna desperately quashed the sudden swell of nostalgia at the use of their old nicknames. These weren’t those times, and this version of Brynjolf certainly wasn’t her friend.  
  


As it happened Elanna needn’t have worried. She approached the stables only to have a familiar, young silver-brown stallion trot over and stop behind the stalls. “Hello, you… I think I’m going to have to make you my horse. What do you say, hmm?” Elanna chuckled as the horse from Helgen nudged his snout into her hair. “ I suppose I should give you a name… I’ll call you Kest. May you be as quick and powerful as the most furious tempest.” She led Kest away from the stables to Brynjolf, who had retrieved his own horse and was fixing his pack a little ways down the road.  
“That was quick,” he spoke over his shoulder, “Make sure you’ve got everything you need, we won’t be back for a long while.” An idea struck her, a small glimmer of hope she desperately grasped. .  
“Actually, I don’t have my guild leathers, and if we’re going to be avoiding towns then I’ll need a rug for my horse. I know where the blacksmith stashes hers, if you’re willing to wait.” Hands that were fiddling with saddle straps stilled and Brynjolf trained his keen gaze on her. He gave nothing away, simply staring into Elanna as if doing so would elicit all the information he needed.  
“Five minutes, then I’m coming in to fetch you.”  
“Five minutes,” She promised and fled back up the path towards Whiterun.  
  


She was adamant on wasting no time; using her acrobatics to vault over the side wall directly beside Warmaiden’s. She quickly retrieved the rug she’d seen the blacksmith working on - a commission for one of the poncy nobles that lived nearby. With a grimace she made a note to get something nice for Adrienne if she could. The next stop was Breezeholme. She hastily changed into her Guild leathers before stalking over to the next room and shaking Lydia awake.  
“Lydia, wake up.”  
“What…?” She sat up on the bed and blinked a couple of times, but on seeing the uniform all confusion vanished. “They’ve come for you.”  
“Yes.”  
“I will ready my sword.”  
“There’s no time for that, Brynjolf is at the stables. We’re probably going to Riften first, but I don’t know what will happen from there.”  
“There is no need for you to bend to the will of these scoundrels. You should stay. I’m sure if you have the Jarl and your Harbinger’s support then-”  
“You know I can’t do that, I left them behind.”  
“Of course you did, those people almost killed you! Thane- Elanna, please. You did nothing wrong when you turned Karliah down, so don’t let that cretin fill you with guilt. Don’t go back with him.”  
  


Elanna hesitated; a moment’s wavering while looking into the earnest, pleading eyes of her first and best friend in all of Skyrim. “You know I’d stay if it was just about that, but he says he knows where Riann went.” Her face split into a fond, apologetic smile and she saw the fire in Lydia’s eyes slowly replaced by defeat.  
“I see. You believe he is being truthful?”  
“It’s the only lead I have. Can I ask you to explain to Kodlak for me? I don’t want him to think I’m being kidnapped again.” The look thrown her way made it clear that Lydia was fairly certain Elanna was being kidnapped.   
“As you wish. After all, I am sworn to carry your burdens.” Elanna’s heart sank at receiving words from earlier times when their relationship had been fraught with overwhelming differences between them. She felt the eyes on her as soon as she left the threshold of her home and she had to swallow her guilt.  
“Any longer and I was about to come inside and get you,” Brynjolf called, hanging perilously in an upside down position from the roof. He finished etching the diamond symbol of the Guild into the arch of her doorway and dropped down beside her with ease. “Now you look like my Anna. Let’s go.”  
  


They travelled in silence, the pair following the main road until they were far enough from Whiterun. Brynjolf took the lead then, skillfully weaving his horse along the path of the river. Not a bad idea, as long as he was in no rush. It was one of the first things he taught her - when in doubt, follow the river and it would take her home. He spared a glance once or twice to ensure she was keeping up but otherwise ignored her presence as much as possible. It was only when they reached a sparse clearing near the that he brought them to a stop.  
“We’ll camp here,”  
“We’re by the border.”  
“I- Yes, beyond here is Eastmarch Hold.” He replied, a show of surprise that was his most genuine expression of emotion since they begun their journey.  
“I cleared a bandit lair near here, not too long ago.” Elanna offered as explanation. “It’s probably still empty, should you wish to sleep with a roof over your head tonight.”  
  


“Lead the way,” It didn’t take them long to make their way to Valtheim Towers, and Brynjolf agreed to hide the horses in the nearby grove while Elanna checked the place. After a cursory run through to confirm the place was empty, she found Brynjolf had laid some bedrolls on the first floor and was getting the fireplace going.  
“So is this is what you’ve been doing after you left us? Clearing out bandits like a common thug?” His eyes swept over the bloodstained stones with obvious distaste.  
“Yes,” She kept her voice steady as she took over, adding ingredients that he handed her into the pot hung above the fire. “That and murdering dragons here and there - nothing too strenuous.”  
“Didn’t you say you wanted to join the Guild to escape your Dragonborn identity?” The smug tone with which he delivered the query was one Elanna immediately recognised. So, he wanted to play a game? She could roll with that. They had indulged in lots of battles of wit when she had just been recruited - after all, one of the best tools of a decent thief is the ability to talk yourself into and out of trouble.  
  


“And what makes you think I was telling you the truth?” She fired back, a question for his question.  
Brynjolf’s eyes lit up knowing she’d understood the game. “Come now,” the start of his next volley, “you think I wouldn’t have noticed if you were lying?”  
“Am I to believe your instincts sharp enough that you instantly know how to read anyone you meet?” she scoffed. Time apart, it seemed, had not diminished his arrogance any.  
“Did my instincts fail to read your purse the very first time we met?”  
“That’s a different skill entirely and you know it!”  
“An answer, but not a question,” He smirked. “You lose, Anna. Now you have to answer my next question completely honestly.”  
“I never agreed to that! And I haven’t played this game in a while, let this round be a practice one.” She handed him a bowl of stew and settled with her own on her bedroll.  
“You’re so unattractive when you’re being a sore loser.” The hard stare Brynjolf was levelling at her told her the excuses weren’t up to par - she’d chosen to play, she knew full well that losing came with a penalty.  
“Fine,” Elanna pretended she didn’t hear his last comment. “Ask your question.”  
  


“Tell me lass, what are you afraid of in Winterhold?”  
  


Elanna blinked, hoping for a few moments she’d misheard the question. When it became apparent she had not, a nasty, sinking feeling settled in her gut. How had he even known…? _No,_ she thought, _if anyone was going to ask about that it would be Brynjolf.  
_“Yffre’s mercy,” she finally managed to choke out, “can’t you ask me something else?”  
“Nope.”  
“It's none of your business, Gods be damned,” Elanna scowled.  
“Oh I think it is,” Brynjolf said, face hard as steel. “From what Karliah tells me, you were on board until the moment she said Winterhold but then you quit on the spot. Now, answer the question I asked,” the anger was rising in him, his body pitching forward in such a way that Elanna suspected he probably wanted to grab her up and shake her to release it.  
“Alright,” she sighed. There was little point fighting him further on the matter, it was clear that no amount of effort on her part would get him to drop the subject. Elanna would have to give something - and hope it to be enough to get him to back off. “There is a danger in Winterhold that, in your words, I’m afraid of.”  
“A child could guess that much. Explain properly, what-”  
  


A loud clatter from the floor below cut short his interrogation. The pair were on their feet in a blink, swords drawn at the ready. Brynjolf signalled Elanna to stay and stalked silently down the stairwell. The sound of scuffling and muffled curses were immediately brought to a halt, followed by a low murmuring. A few moments of silence, and then Brynjolf reappeared looking particularly unimpressed.  
“He says he’s a friend of yours.”


	14. Chapter 14

_You big lumbering brute,_ Vilkas cursed himself, _why did you have to knock something over at the most important moment?_

He had seconds at most, judging by the sharp intake of breath and quickened heartbeats. It took a werewolf’s reflexes to upright the chair in his path and draw his sword before Elanna’s companion discovered him.  
“Hold it right there!” Vilkas barely had time to look up before a sword was poised at his throat. The sword’s owner was a Nord, like Vilkas, though definitely a ways older than he was. Under the copious amounts of leather wax and cologne, Vilkas thought he caught the faint smell of damp. The uniform he wore unmistakeable - that of the Thieves Guild.  
“Peace, stranger,” Vilkas held his arms out in a pacifying motion, whilst tightening his grip on his own sword, “I mean you no harm.”  
“I think I will be the judge of that. Who are you?”  
“I am a Companion of Jorrvaskr, and I have come to aid my Shield-Sister.” The sword at his throat lowered, though only slightly.  
“Anna doesn’t need any help,” he spoke, indignant, “so you best be on your way.”  
“Be that as it may, she was forcibly removed from our care once before. I must speak with her before leaving this place.”

The man was analysing him carefully. It was obvious, to Vilkas at least, that the older Nord couldn’t best him if they fought. He didn’t doubt the man had some wily tricks up his sleeve, but Vilkas had the advantage - not only did he have honed battle instincts and wolf senses, but the thief couldn’t even distract him and flee as he’d be leaving his quarry behind. Sensing this, the man lowered his sword.  
“Wait here.” he commanded, stomping his way back up the stairs. It took all his will not to envelop her the minute she hit the ground floor. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, cheeks flushed, heart rate quickened.  
“Vilkas…?” she reached out to touch his arm, flinching away when her fingertips reached solid mass.  
“Elanna,” her name fell from his lips as in a strangled cry and the knot of concern in his chest dissipated. “Gods, Elanna, we were so worried about you. Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”  
“What in all Tamriel- what are you talking about? How did you know I’m here?”  
“Your housecarl came to me in the dead of night. She told me told me you were being coerced into something dangerous, and that I had to come after you,”

Vilkas neglected to add that he hadn’t stuck around for further details and set out immediately to try and find her. He’d picked up a stranger’s scent in Jorrvaskr, but the mead hall had many visitors and it wasn’t unusual for a strong scent to linger. By the time he’d realised his mistake he’d followed their trail a mile out of town. Half mad with worry, he was almost tempted to change into his wolf form and run - ready to tear apart the man who dared vanish a Companion from their home. In fact, he probably would have done exactly that if his heightened hearing hadn’t picked up the joke about Elanna being _attractive_. The comment struck him still for a moment before entering the tower, and that moment was enough for the conversation to turn serious. Had his brain not temporarily dropped into his shoe, that conversation would have likely continued.

“I should have anticipated Lydia would do something like this. She does rather enjoy meddling in my private life,” Elanna ran her fingers through her hair and sank into the seat Vilkas had uprighted.  
“She does, and rightly so.” He crossed his arms and planted himself in front of her. “What were you thinking, agreeing to be put in danger?”  
“It’s… complicated. I’m not actually in a position to refuse,”  
“So I’ve heard - but leaving with him? Alone? Did you not learn from what happened last time? You could’ve asked someone for help - you could’ve asked _me_ ,”  
“I’m not a child, Vilkas.” She scowled. “I don’t need you to hold my hand, and I don’t remember inviting you here to meddle in my personal affairs.”  
“You know that’s not what I-”  
“You best listen to her, lad.” Brynjolf interrupted, returning to join them once again. “You’ve seen her, now off you go.”  
“Like hell.” Vilkas growled. “I won’t have a scoundrel like you taking advantage of her,” Vilkas prepared for a witty yet biting retort but it never came - instead, the Nord started snickering with all the charm of an ataxic skeever. The snickers escalated into snorts of derision, and then, a full blown cackling laugh. “Ahaha, haha, that was really funny. I needed a good laugh.”

  
“Enough, the both of you.” Elanna stood, getting between the two men. “He stays.”  
Brynjolf scowled down at her. “I don’t remember saying this was a field trip where you could just bring your friends along.”  
“I don’t know about that. You never had a problem with me dragging Lydia around.”  
“Yes, but at least Lydia is easy on the eyes… please don’t tell her I said that. I’d prefer to keep my limbs intact.”  
“Give Vilkas a chance. I’m sure you’ll soon recognise his _many_ assets.” Elanna smirked.  
“Fine, suit yourself. I’m going to bed.” The Nord’s eyes raked over Vilkas once more and he felt strangely embarrassed under the scrutiny, before he waved a dismissive hand and airily walked upstairs.  
“Thank the Divines,” Elanna’s shoulders sank as soon as he was out of earshot, “He has always had more hormones than sense.”  
Vilkas had so many questions he had no idea where to begin, and unfortunately, his tongue seemed to recover before his brain. “‘many _assets’_??” he found himself blurting out.  
“Gods, don’t you start too. I have enough to deal with trying to keep up with Brynjolf.”  
“Ah, right. Sorry… and thank you, for convincing him.” Vilkas would have found a way to follow her regardless, but Elanna probably didn’t need to know that.

She made her way to the stairs and he followed close behind. Partway up she stopped and spun to face him.  
“I know it doesn’t feel like it, but know that I am happy she sent you.” She whispered.  
“Good,” Vilkas reached out to give her hand a light supportive squeeze. She smiled, and with one last glance to check they were still out of view from the upper floor, leaned down to press her lips against his. The touch was tentative, and lasted barely a few seconds before Elanna pulled back. _Yeah, fuck that._ Vilkas yanked her against him, swallowing down Elanna’s yelp of surprise. He poured everything he’d felt in the kiss; all his worry and fury and passion. Elanna floundered for a moment, but soon enough she responded, steadied body pressed against his, curious fingers snaking into his hair. She let out a sigh of contentment and Vilkas broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers as they caught their breath.  
“Well, now I’m sure you’re glad to see me,” he smirked. She was good natured enough to laugh through the blush of embarrassment spread across her cheeks. Her fingers threaded through his as she stepped back.  
“We should get some sleep, we’ve got a few days travel ahead of us yet.” she said.  
“Lead on.”

Brynjolf had already settled into his bedroll by the time the pair reached the top of the stairs. Elanna breathed out her relief, but Vilkas could tell he was simply feigning sleep. Probably to spy on them, he thought. _Well, let him spy. We’re no lesser for it.  
_ “There’s only one bedroll,” The hesitance in Elanna’s words brought Vilkas’s attention back.  
“I don’t suppose you want to share?” He waggled his eyebrows at her.  
“No! I mean, not that I’m _against_ the idea since we’ve slept together before - wait not _slept_ together, oh you know what I mean- I just think, no I’m saying that last time we shared a full bed and this is just a small bedroll and I don’t know if we’d fit and be comfortable- Gods, you’re laughing at me again!”  
To be fair, Vilkas was trying to hold it in, but the traitorous rumbling in his chest gave him away. “I wasn’t being serious, Elanna. I’ll go fetch the chair from downstairs.”  
“Oh.” It was barely a response, but the flush in her face that still hadn’t cleared told Vilkas all he needed to know. She still made it way too easy. He grabbed up the chair quickly, and from the lower floor his enhanced hearing caught what he thought was Elanna, muttering under her breath. He couldn’t be sure but it sounded like she’d said, _I don’t think my heart is prepared for a whole week of this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gahhh I've been away so long! I'm sorry! >>>>.<<<<<
> 
> Hopefully, this chapter makes up for it!
> 
> As always, thank you to my dearest loyal readers, without you I wouldn't have got even this far.


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